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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: leaves · temple · mate · pound · pass · firm · bowl · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. firm — steady
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mate — a friend
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. mate — to breed
  13. firm — a company
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. mate — a partner
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. firm — decided
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. leaves — of a tree

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