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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. last — to go on
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chip — to eat
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. last — finally
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. saw — the tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bank — for money
  24. last — final

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