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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. can — a tin
  3. pit — a hole
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. band — a music group
  7. bank — for money
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pit — in a race
  11. shower — rain
  12. key — the most important part
  13. shower — to wash
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. band — a ring
  16. can — a tin
  17. bank — for money
  18. key — in music
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. snap — to click
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. can — to be able to
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. key — for a lock

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