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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. row — a line
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bank — for money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — letters
  21. row — to paddle
  22. spell — a short time
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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