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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rock — music
  4. bank — for money
  5. rash — a series
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. band — a ring
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bank — for money
  13. track — a path
  14. band — a music group
  15. bark — to shout
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rash — hasty
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a song
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. arm — a part of something

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