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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.

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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bound — tied together
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bound — obliged
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bank — for money
  13. rash — a series
  14. branch — a division
  15. cap — a hat
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cap — of ice
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bound — certain
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bank — for money

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