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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bank — for money
  3. row — a line
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bank — of a river
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. lie — to recline
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. swing — music
  14. bank — for money
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. branch — a division
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. row — to paddle
  21. board — to get on
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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