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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: cabinet · track · bass · racket · scale · bank · march · temple

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. track — a path
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. march — the month
  12. scale — size or range
  13. track — a song
  14. march — the month
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. march — music
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bank — for money
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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