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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: row · rash · ball · bank · march · temple · bass · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bank — for money
  3. rash — hasty
  4. march — music
  5. row — a line
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. row — to paddle
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a great time
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rash — a series
  12. bank — of a river
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. march — the month
  17. bass — low music
  18. march — the month
  19. bass — the fish
  20. ball — a dance
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bank — for money

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