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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: temple · fork · cabinet · lie · bank · clip · deal · rush

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. clip — to cut
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bank — for money
  11. clip — for paper
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. clip — a video
  18. bank — of a river
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. fork — in a road
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. deal — a big deal

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