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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: mug · bass · staff · jam · band · temple · bound · hide

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. bound — certain
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. band — a music group
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. mug — to rob
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bass — the fish
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bass — low music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. staff — employees
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  24. hide — to keep secret

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