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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: kick · rush · bank · track · pop · temple · root · hide

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pop — soda
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. track — a song
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. track — to keep track
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bank — for money
  14. kick — in football
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bank — for money
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. track — a path
  19. rush — hurry
  20. root — the cause
  21. bank — of a river
  22. root — of a word
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. pop — music

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