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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: last · bound · foot · content · fall · temple · bear · bass

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. foot — a measure
  4. content — happy
  5. last — to go on
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. last — final
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. last — finally
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bound — certain
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bass — low music
  21. bound — tied together
  22. content — the amount
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. fall — to drop

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