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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: kick · temple · roll · lie · straw · bulb · bowl · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. lie — to recline
  6. kick — in football
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. roll — a list
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bank — of a river
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bank — for money
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bulb — for light
  24. kick — a thrill

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