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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.

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: chip · ruler · face · spring · ground · temple · jam · bass

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bass — the fish
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chip — for betting
  5. face — to point toward
  6. chip — to eat
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — a coil
  9. ground — the earth
  10. face — part of the head
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. spring — the season
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. bass — low music
  23. face — to confront
  24. bass — the instrument

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