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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wind — moving air
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mug — to rob
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — a cup
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. craft — boats
  12. lie — to recline
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. land — a country
  16. land — ground
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. land — to come down
  19. bank — for money
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — a safe
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wind — moving air

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