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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 120 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: bank · stand · snap · staff · saw · temple · kick · club

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. kick — in football
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bank — of a river
  7. snap — to click
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bank — for money
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for dancing
  13. saw — the tool
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bank — for money
  17. club — for golf
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. staff — employees
  24. stand — to bear

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