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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.

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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. spring — the season
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. degree — an amount
  7. chip — to eat
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. wind — moving air
  16. spring — of water
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pound — a weight
  19. wind — moving air
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. degree — from a university
  23. bank — for money
  24. spring — a coil

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