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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 120 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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cap — a lid
  7. wax — to grow
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bank — of a river
  10. vault — a safe
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. bank — for money
  13. cap — of ice
  14. clip — a video
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. bank — for money
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. firm — a company
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. clip — to cut
  23. clip — for paper
  24. cabinet — ministers

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