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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: staff · temple · fine · squash · cell · lie · board · bass

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. fine — all right
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bass — the fish
  12. lie — to recline
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — a stick
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. board — to get on
  17. staff — employees
  18. bass — low music
  19. cell — in biology
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. board — a committee
  24. cell — a phone

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