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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. bass — low music
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bass — the fish
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. spring — the season
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pit — a hole
  14. spring — a coil
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bass — the instrument

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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