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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bank — for money
  5. spring — of water
  6. pit — in a race
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. spring — a coil
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bank — for money
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. sharp — clever
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. pit — a hole
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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