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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bank — of a river
  4. field — farmland
  5. suit — to fit
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. field — for sport
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. cue — a signal
  12. can — to be able to
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to click
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. suit — clothes
  17. field — a subject
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. cue — for pool
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. suit — in cards

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