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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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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: cabinet · pound · bound · bank · arm · stand · temple · pop

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bound — tied together
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pop — to visit
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pop — soda
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pop — music
  23. bound — certain
  24. bank — for money

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