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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitcher · temple · nail · row · mouse · cabinet · stand · bank

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. row — a line
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bank — for money
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bank — for money
  23. row — to paddle
  24. nail — for a hammer

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