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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bank — for money
  3. drill — a practice
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bank — for money
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bank — of a river
  10. drill — the tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. drill — army training
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bat — the animal
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wave — with your hand

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