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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stock — shares
  4. bank — for money
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. current — electric
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. face — part of the head
  9. staff — employees
  10. current — of water
  11. current — happening now
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. face — to point toward
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. face — to confront
  20. staff — a stick
  21. branch — a division
  22. bank — for money
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bank — of a river

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