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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: bank · fine · temple · roll · pass · spring · firm · land

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. firm — a company
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bank — for money
  5. land — ground
  6. land — to come down
  7. fine — high quality
  8. land — a country
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. spring — of water
  12. pass — a permit
  13. firm — steady
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bank — for money
  17. spring — a coil
  18. roll — a list
  19. spring — the season
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. fine — all right
  22. bank — of a river
  23. firm — decided
  24. temple — a place of worship

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