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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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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: club · bound · snap · firm · bear · pound · temple · current

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. club — a group
  4. bear — the animal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bound — certain
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bound — tied together
  13. current — of water
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. firm — steady
  16. bear — the animal
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. bound — obliged
  20. firm — decided
  21. pound — a weight
  22. snap — to click
  23. firm — a company
  24. temple — side of the head

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