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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · bass · foot · rash · temple · drill · court · mate

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. mate — a partner
  8. court — for sport
  9. rash — hasty
  10. court — of law
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rash — a series
  14. bass — the fish
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. drill — army training
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. foot — a measure
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. court — of a king
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. jam — to spread on bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com