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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bank — for money
  3. land — ground
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. band — a music group
  6. wind — moving air
  7. land — a country
  8. bank — for money
  9. bass — the fish
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. band — a ring
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. land — to come down
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bank — of a river
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wind — moving air

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