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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.

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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: ground · pop · temple · fork · bay · swing · bass · mug

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pop — music
  3. mug — a face
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. ground — the earth
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mug — to rob
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. swing — music
  12. ground — a position
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pop — to visit
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bass — the fish
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ground — crushed
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. pop — soda

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