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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bank — for money
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. shower — to wash
  8. clip — for paper
  9. squash — to crush
  10. clip — to cut
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. cap — a hat
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. clip — a video
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. shower — rain
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. toast — bread
  21. squash — the sport
  22. cap — of ice
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. cap — a lid

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