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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bank — of a river
  5. land — a country
  6. track — a path
  7. mate — a friend
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bank — for money
  10. mate — a partner
  11. squash — the sport
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. land — ground
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. land — to come down
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. track — a song
  18. mate — to breed
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. squash — to crush
  21. track — to keep track
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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