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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 · snap · pound · field · temple · pass · stem · mug

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. mug — to rob
  6. field — for sport
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. snap — to click
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. field — farmland
  19. mug — a cup
  20. pound — a weight
  21. stem — to come from
  22. mug — a face
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. temple — a place of worship

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