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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. present — there
  3. bank — for money
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — for money
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. suit — in cards
  9. present — a gift
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bank — of a river
  13. suit — clothes
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. degree — temperature
  17. present — the time now
  18. degree — an amount
  19. band — a music group
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. band — a ring
  23. degree — from a university
  24. pound — a weight

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