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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: clip · temple · bulb · fine · bank · charge · pop · rock

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — all right
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pop — to visit
  8. clip — for paper
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. clip — a video
  13. bank — for money
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pop — music
  17. charge — in control
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. charge — a price
  20. pop — soda
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fine — a penalty

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