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

Word bank: present · bank · nail · bark · wind · pop · temple · bay

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bank — for money
  5. present — a gift
  6. pop — soda
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. present — the time now
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bark — to shout
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. present — there
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pop — music
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bank — for money
  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