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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 120 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — in cards
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. cold — not warm
  8. march — the month
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lean — thin
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bulb — for light
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. march — the month
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. cold — an illness
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bank — for money
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bank — of a river
  22. march — music
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. lean — to bend

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