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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: straw · object · bore · firm · sharp · temple · bass · wind

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bass — low music
  6. bore — to tire
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. firm — steady
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — a thing
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bass — the fish
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. firm — a company
  19. object — to protest
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wind — moving air
  22. firm — decided
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wind — moving air

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