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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. fine — high quality
  4. key — for a lock
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bank — for money
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bank — for money
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. key — the most important part
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bank — of a river
  14. foot — a measure
  15. band — a ring
  16. row — a line
  17. wound — an injury
  18. key — in music
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. band — a music group
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. wound — an injury
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. fine — all right

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