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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bank — of a river
  3. suit — in cards
  4. can — to be able to
  5. band — a music group
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. field — farmland
  8. can — a tin
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. suit — to fit
  12. field — for sport
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. pitch — completely
  16. field — a subject
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bank — for money
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. band — a ring
  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