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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 120 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: fork · track · arm · temple · can · perch · bank · pitcher

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. track — to keep track
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. track — a path
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. fork — in a road
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. track — a song
  17. bank — of a river
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bank — for money

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