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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. ground — a position
  3. branch — a division
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bank — of a river
  6. game — a match
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bank — for money
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — the earth
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bear — the animal
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fall — the season
  17. bank — for money
  18. cap — a hat
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. cap — of ice
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. game — wild animals
  24. fall — to drop

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