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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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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: bass · band · bank · pit · pass · drill · fork · temple

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bass — low music
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. band — a music group
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bank — of a river
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bank — for money
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bank — for money
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — a practice
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pit — in a race

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