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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — for money
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. bank — of a river
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. face — to confront
  10. mate — to breed
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bore — to tire
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. face — to point toward
  15. sharp — clever
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. stem — to come from
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bore — to drill
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. temple — a place of worship

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