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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: racket · race · temple · scale · mug · bank · fan · pop

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. scale — in music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — for money
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bank — for money
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. scale — size or range
  15. race — humankind
  16. bank — of a river
  17. pop — music
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pop — soda
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. race — the arms race
  23. mug — a cup
  24. race — a contest

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