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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bank — for money
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. current — of water
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. spring — the season
  7. ball — a dance
  8. current — electric
  9. bank — for money
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bank — of a river
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. spring — a coil
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. current — happening now
  17. ball — a great time
  18. plane — a tool

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