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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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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: calf · bank · rash · bound · bark · temple · spring · ball

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bank — for money
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bank — for money
  6. rash — hasty
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. spring — a coil
  10. spring — of water
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rash — a series
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — obliged
  20. spring — the season
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. ball — a dance
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ball — a great time

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