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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: roll · root · hand · drill · temple · rush · bank · deal

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bank — for money
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. roll — a list
  11. hand — help
  12. bank — of a river
  13. root — of a word
  14. bank — for money
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rush — hurry
  18. drill — a practice
  19. hand — in cards
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. root — of a plant
  23. roll — a cake
  24. root — the cause

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