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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: bass · cabinet · saw · pop · dip · bank · temple · season

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. pop — soda
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. season — in sport
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pop — music
  7. bass — low music
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bank — for money
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. season — of the year
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. dip — to sink
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bass — the fish

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