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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: face · fan · temple · rash · wind · kick · stick · bank

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. kick — in football
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rash — a series
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bank — of a river
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. wind — moving air
  14. face — to confront
  15. wind — moving air
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bank — for money
  19. face — to point toward
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. bank — for money
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. fan — a supporter

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