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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: bass · temple · race · suit · dip · mark · pit · firm

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. firm — decided
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — low music
  5. pit — in a race
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. firm — steady
  8. suit — in cards
  9. firm — a company
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pit — a hole
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. race — the arms race
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — humankind
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mark — to pay attention

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