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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: fork · capital · rush · bank · temple · nail · bark · jam

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. capital — money
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bank — for money
  7. bark — to shout
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rush — hurry
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. capital — a city

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