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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: pound · temple · dip · club · tear · scale · lie · bank

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bank — of a river
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. club — for golf
  6. tear — from crying
  7. dip — to sink
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. club — a group
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bank — for money
  14. tear — to rip
  15. pound — a weight
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bank — for money
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. lie — to recline
  23. club — for dancing
  24. pound — for dogs

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