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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.

Make a worksheet

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: temple · rule · ball · pop · rest · degree · firm · mug

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mug — a face
  3. pop — soda
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. degree — from a university
  11. firm — steady
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — temperature
  14. pop — music
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mug — to rob
  17. firm — a company
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. mug — a cup
  22. firm — decided
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — government

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