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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bank — of a river
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pass — a permit
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bank — for money
  20. foot — a measure
  21. file — a line of people
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. file — a document

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