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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bank — for money
  4. pop — music
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bank — for money
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. firm — a company
  15. stand — to bear
  16. firm — decided
  17. tube — a container
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. firm — steady
  21. pop — soda
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bank — of a river
  24. stand — for spectators

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