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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: jam · temple · rule · ball · can · roll · pound · bat

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. ball — a dance
  4. roll — a cake
  5. can — a tin
  6. ball — a great time
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bat — the animal
  12. rule — government
  13. roll — a list
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. can — a tin
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. can — to be able to

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