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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: suit · leaves · bulb · cap · spell · track · bank · temple

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bulb — for light
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bank — for money
  5. track — a path
  6. bank — for money
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. suit — in cards
  10. track — a song
  11. bank — of a river
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. spell — magic
  18. cap — a lid
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cap — a hat
  23. track — to keep track
  24. leaves — of a tree

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