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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bank — for money
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bass — the fish
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. branch — a division
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. drill — army training
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bank — of a river
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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