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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.

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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: temple · pass · pop · bay · fall · ball · lie · foot

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. pop — music
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fall — to drop
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fall — to drop
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ball — a dance
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fall — the season
  18. lie — to recline
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. foot — a measure
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pop — soda
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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