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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: wave · firm · jam · rule · pop · mug · temple · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. mug — a face
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. firm — a company
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. firm — decided
  8. pop — music
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rule — government
  11. hand — help
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mug — to rob
  14. firm — steady
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. pop — soda
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rule — a law
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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