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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bank — for money
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. last — finally
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. last — final
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bank — for money
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. current — electric
  20. last — to go on
  21. mark — a trace
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — of water
  24. temple — side of the head

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