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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: bass · club · wave · ball · temple · charge · rule · pit

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. ball — a great time
  6. club — for dancing
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rule — government
  11. charge — a price
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bass — the fish
  14. club — a group
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pit — a hole
  17. club — for golf
  18. charge — in control
  19. bass — low music
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. temple — side of the head

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