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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bank — for money
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bass — the fish
  11. fork — in a road
  12. pitch — completely
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bass — low music
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  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