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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: sharp · bank · dip · jam · bay · field · pop · temple

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. field — for sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pop — to visit
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pop — soda
  11. bank — for money
  12. field — a subject
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bank — of a river
  15. field — farmland
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pop — music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. dip — a sauce

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