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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. object — an aim
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. object — a thing
  6. pop — soda
  7. can — a tin
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. track — a path
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. track — to keep track
  13. pop — to visit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. object — to protest
  17. rash — a series
  18. pop — music
  19. can — a tin
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bank — for money
  23. track — a song
  24. rash — hasty

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