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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. drill — the tool
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. track — a song
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. track — a path
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bank — for money
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. squash — the sport
  17. drill — a practice
  18. track — to keep track
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. drill — army training
  24. mark — a grade

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