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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 120 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: temple · rule · leaves · bowl · pop · swing · bass · arm

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. pop — soda
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pop — to visit
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — music
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bass — low music
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. pop — music
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rule — a law
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. rule — government

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