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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: pass · rash · temple · band · stock · plane · pop · dip

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. dip — to sink
  3. band — a music group
  4. stock — shares
  5. band — a ring
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pop — to visit
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rash — a series
  14. pop — music
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pop — soda
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. stock — goods

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