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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bank — of a river
  4. object — a thing
  5. cap — a lid
  6. object — an aim
  7. drill — a practice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. staff — employees
  11. bank — for money
  12. scale — in music
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — for money
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. object — to protest
  18. scale — size or range
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. drill — army training
  21. staff — employees
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cap — of ice
  24. scale — for weighing

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