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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: temple · pop · pass · prune · bass · saw · ball · current

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. ball — a dance
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pop — soda
  6. bass — the fish
  7. current — electric
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pop — to visit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pop — music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. current — of water
  20. bass — low music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. current — happening now
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. ball — a great time

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