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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: pass · ball · deal · racket · temple · land · bank · key

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. land — to come down
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. land — ground
  5. land — a country
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bank — for money
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. key — the most important part
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. key — in music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. key — for a lock
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. racket — for tennis

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