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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rest — a break
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bank — for money
  5. rest — what's left
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. band — a ring
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bank — of a river
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — in cards
  15. band — a music group
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bear — the animal
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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