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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: bulb · lie · bass · key · temple · firm · game · rush

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. game — a match
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. key — in music
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bass — the fish
  8. firm — steady
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rush — hurry
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bass — low music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. firm — a company
  23. game — wild animals
  24. lie — to recline

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