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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. firm — decided
  8. cold — not warm
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. firm — steady
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bank — for money
  20. firm — a company
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. cold — an illness
  24. can — a tin

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