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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bank — for money
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. club — for golf
  7. chest — of your body
  8. club — a group
  9. board — a committee
  10. club — for dancing
  11. rash — a series
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. ground — the earth
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. rash — hasty
  16. board — to get on
  17. chest — of your body
  18. ground — crushed
  19. chest — a box
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. firm — a company
  22. bank — for money
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bank — of a river

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