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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: jam · mate · current · bank · content · bowl · bass · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. content — happy
  4. mate — a partner
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — the amount
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bank — for money
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bass — low music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. current — happening now
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bank — for money
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. current — electric
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. current — of water

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