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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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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: last · fall · mug · firm · wake · net · rush · temple

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. net — in sport
  3. firm — a company
  4. last — to go on
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mug — a cup
  8. wake — a trail
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. net — after costs
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mug — to rob
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. firm — decided
  17. net — for catching
  18. last — finally
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fall — to drop
  21. last — final
  22. rush — hurry
  23. firm — steady
  24. mug — a face

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