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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fall · bank · scale · current · pit · temple · bay · mine

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bank — for money
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. pit — a hole
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. scale — size or range
  9. fall — the season
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mine — for digging
  14. scale — in music
  15. pit — in a race
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. current — electric
  20. current — of water
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. current — happening now
  23. fall — to drop
  24. mine — an explosive

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