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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: present · bark · bank · pit · shower · court · temple · pop

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pop — music
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pit — a hole
  10. court — for sport
  11. present — a gift
  12. shower — rain
  13. court — of a king
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bank — for money
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. present — the time now
  20. court — of law
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. present — there
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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