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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pop · date · temple · bass · cap · firm · foot · lash

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. foot — a measure
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. firm — a company
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. firm — steady
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. cap — a lid
  10. date — the fruit
  11. pop — music
  12. cap — a hat
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. firm — decided
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cap — of ice
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bass — the fish

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