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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: nail · temple · last · season · fall · pop · suit · bass

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. pop — soda
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. last — to go on
  7. season — of the year
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fall — to drop
  10. last — final
  11. season — in sport
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bass — the fish
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bass — low music
  16. last — finally
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fall — the season
  20. pop — to visit
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pop — music
  24. temple — a place of worship

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