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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  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. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. charge — a price
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bank — for money
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mate — a partner
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. charge — in control
  15. mate — a friend
  16. charge — electricity
  17. spring — the season
  18. mate — to breed
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. spring — a coil
  21. spring — of water
  22. scale — in music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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