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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bank — of a river
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. spell — magic
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. spell — letters
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. chest — of your body
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rush — hurry
  16. chest — a box
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bank — for money
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. spell — a short time
  24. bank — for money

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