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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bank — for money
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. fine — high quality
  6. mug — a face
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fine — all right
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bear — the animal
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bank — of a river
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bear — the animal
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bank — for money
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. mug — a cup

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