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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bank — for money
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bank — of a river
  6. face — to confront
  7. pit — a hole
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bank — for money
  11. track — a path
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — a position
  17. face — to point toward
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. ground — the earth
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. face — part of the head
  22. track — to keep track
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. track — a song

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