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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. track — a song
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. net — after costs
  5. bank — for money
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bank — for money
  8. track — to keep track
  9. net — in sport
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lean — thin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pit — in a race
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pit — a hole
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. track — a path
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. prune — to trim
  23. net — for catching
  24. lean — to bend

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