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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: cabinet · pop · temple · bark · bat · fan · firm · key

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. firm — decided
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bat — the animal
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. firm — a company
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. firm — steady
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. key — the most important part
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. pop — music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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