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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: fine · squash · roll · suit · arm · track · temple · bass

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. suit — to fit
  3. squash — the sport
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fine — high quality
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. bass — low music
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. roll — a cake
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. track — to keep track
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. fine — all right
  24. suit — in cards

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