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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: kid · clip · stand · temple · rock · face · rush · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rock — music
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. clip — a video
  6. clip — to cut
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rock — a stone
  11. clip — for paper
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. face — part of the head
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — to point toward
  22. kid — child
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. kid — to tease

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