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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. ground — the earth
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bank — for money
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. roll — a list
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — of a river
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. perch — the fish
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. ground — a position
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ground — crushed
  22. roll — a cake
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. perch — for a bird

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