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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. branch — a division
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bank — for money
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bank — for money
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rest — what's left
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. ball — a dance
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lie — to recline
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rest — a break
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — a law
  24. sharp — with an edge

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