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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 120 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: season · mug · temple · bass · mouse · nail · capital · band

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. capital — money
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bass — low music
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. band — a music group
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mug — a face
  11. season — of the year
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. mug — to rob
  15. band — a ring
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. capital — a city
  23. season — in sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

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