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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: toast · chair · temple · bowl · jam · mate · bass · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mate — a friend
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. toast — bread
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mate — a partner
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bass — low music
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. mate — to breed
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bass — the fish
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bowl — a dish

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