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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. drill — the tool
  6. band — a music group
  7. ball — a great time
  8. drill — army training
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bank — of a river
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. prune — to trim
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. prune — to trim
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bank — for money
  21. drill — a practice
  22. band — a ring
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. mouse — the animal

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