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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: rock · temple · firm · dip · mark · fine · kick · ground

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. kick — in football
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. dip — to sink
  5. firm — steady
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. rock — music
  8. ground — a position
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. firm — decided
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ground — the earth
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. fine — all right
  18. ground — crushed
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. mark — a trace
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. firm — a company
  24. mark — a grade

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