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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: temple · shower · bass · current · bat · trunk · bowl · press

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bat — the animal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — rain
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. current — of water
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. press — to push
  14. current — happening now
  15. press — newspapers
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bass — low music
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. current — electric

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