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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. present — the time now
  3. bank — for money
  4. track — to keep track
  5. present — there
  6. bank — of a river
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. track — a song
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. band — a ring
  11. board — to get on
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. fine — all right
  14. root — of a word
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. root — the cause
  17. present — a gift
  18. root — of a plant
  19. track — a path
  20. fine — high quality
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. board — a committee
  24. band — a music group

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