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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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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: pit · temple · bank · face · chip · root · game · patient

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. root — the cause
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pit — a hole
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — a match
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. root — of a plant
  12. chip — for betting
  13. face — part of the head
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bank — for money
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. root — of a word
  18. pit — in a race
  19. face — to confront
  20. chip — to eat
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. game — wild animals
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. patient — a sick person

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