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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. firm — steady
  3. bank — for money
  4. firm — a company
  5. spring — the season
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. firm — decided
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bank — of a river
  11. chip — to eat
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. spring — of water
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bank — for money
  17. shower — rain
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. chip — for betting
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. shower — to wash
  24. spring — a coil

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