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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bank — for money
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. drill — army training
  6. firm — a company
  7. club — for dancing
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ball — a dance
  10. club — for golf
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. firm — decided
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. drill — the tool
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — rain
  17. rush — hurry
  18. firm — steady
  19. bank — for money
  20. ball — a great time
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bank — of a river
  23. club — a group
  24. ball — a round shape

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