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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.

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: leaves · bank · temple · track · can · degree · plane · game

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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. game — a match
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. track — a path
  7. degree — from a university
  8. can — a tin
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. track — a song
  11. game — wild animals
  12. track — to keep track
  13. can — to be able to
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. plane — a tool
  16. degree — an amount
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. can — a tin
  20. degree — temperature
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bank — for money
  24. leaves — lets stay

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