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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: fork · band · spring · current · bark · temple · can · racket

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. band — a ring
  3. can — a tin
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. spring — the season
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. can — a tin
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. fork — in a road
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. current — of water
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. spring — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. bark — to shout
  19. current — happening now
  20. band — a music group
  21. spring — a coil
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. can — to be able to

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