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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. pit — in a race
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bank — for money
  4. pit — a hole
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. game — a match
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rash — a series
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. branch — a division
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. row — to paddle
  19. game — wild animals
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — a line
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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