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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
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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: jam · mine · lie · temple · bark · bass · mark · mug

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. mug — a face
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bass — the fish
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mug — to rob
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. mug — a cup
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mark — a grade
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bass — low music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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