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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: mouse · suit · bank · drill · pit · rush · temple · cold

  1. The water is too ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — not warm
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bank — for money
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bank — for money
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rush — hurry
  13. drill — army training
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — to fit
  20. drill — a practice
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cold — an illness

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