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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bank — of a river
  6. present — the time now
  7. staff — a stick
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — a city
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bank — for money
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. present — there
  16. staff — employees
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. staff — employees
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. present — a gift
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bank — for money
  24. temple — a place of worship

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