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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: shower · bank · mark · staff · fork · fan · field · temple

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. field — for sport
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bank — for money
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. staff — employees
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bank — of a river
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bank — for money
  20. staff — employees
  21. field — farmland
  22. field — a subject
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. shower — rain

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