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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: firm · rock · bank · hide · temple · capital · foot · file

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bank — of a river
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. file — a line of people
  6. firm — decided
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. capital — a city
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bank — for money
  13. file — a document
  14. capital — money
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. file — a tool
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rock — a stone

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