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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: temple · leaves · stick · lash · rule · field · bank · stock

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rule — government
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. field — a subject
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bank — for money
  9. field — farmland
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. field — for sport
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. rule — a law
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — goods
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. leaves — of a tree

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