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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bank — for money
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. last — finally
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cap — a lid
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. mine — for digging
  11. last — to go on
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bank — for money
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bank — of a river
  18. cap — a hat
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. last — final
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cap — of ice

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