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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
468
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: clip · stick · straw · bank · season · bark · rash · temple

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rash — hasty
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. rash — a series
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. season — in sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bank — for money
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. clip — for paper
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. clip — a video
  16. season — of the year
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bark — to shout
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bank — of a river
  24. stick — a piece of wood

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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