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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bank — of a river
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. pop — music
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bank — for money
  9. ground — a position
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. ground — crushed
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. ground — the earth
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bat — the animal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pop — soda

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