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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pound — a weight
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fine — all right
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. chip — to eat
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. chip — for betting
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. bank — for money

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