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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. charge — a price
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. lean — thin
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bank — of a river
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — for money
  12. march — the month
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. band — a ring
  17. dip — to sink
  18. charge — in control
  19. wind — moving air
  20. lean — to bend
  21. march — the month
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. band — a music group
  24. temple — a place of worship

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