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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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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: bass · chip · bound · racket · temple · fall · mark · mouse

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bound — tied together
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fall — the season
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bass — low music
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. fall — to drop
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. bound — certain
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. mark — a grade

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