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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wound — an injury
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. object — an aim
  7. bank — of a river
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. object — to protest
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rule — a law
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rock — a stone
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bank — for money
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rock — music
  23. rule — government
  24. object — a thing

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