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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. date — the fruit
  3. board — to get on
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bank — of a river
  6. degree — temperature
  7. cap — of ice
  8. degree — from a university
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bank — for money
  11. object — to protest
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. spring — the season
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. object — an aim
  16. spring — of water
  17. degree — an amount
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. cap — a lid
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. spring — a coil
  24. object — a thing

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