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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. club — a group
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bank — of a river
  5. roll — a list
  6. rush — hurry
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — in music
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bank — for money
  12. roll — a cake
  13. key — for a lock
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. club — for dancing
  16. fork — in a road
  17. club — for golf
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rush — to hurry

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