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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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468
Word bank
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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bank — of a river
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cell — in biology
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hand — help
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. fine — all right
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. hand — in cards
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bank — for money
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bank — for money
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. cell — a phone
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fine — high quality

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