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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. band — a music group
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bound — certain
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bank — of a river
  13. face — to confront
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. face — to point toward
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bank — for money
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bound — obliged

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