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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. fine — all right
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bank — for money
  8. face — to point toward
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. face — to confront
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cap — a lid
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bank — of a river
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cap — a hat
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bank — for money
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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