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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: spell · wave · jam · temple · pound · capital · lash · bass

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. spell — letters
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bass — the fish
  12. capital — money
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. spell — a short time
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bass — low music
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. spell — magic
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. capital — a city
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pound — a weight

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