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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. march — the month
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. can — to be able to
  6. net — in sport
  7. can — a tin
  8. swing — to play on
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. march — the month
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bank — for money
  13. net — after costs
  14. swing — music
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. swing — in golf
  19. can — a tin
  20. bank — of a river
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. rush — hurry
  23. net — for catching
  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