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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — to shout
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pit — in a race
  8. rush — hurry
  9. track — a path
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. board — to get on
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. board — a committee
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bank — for money
  24. track — a song

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