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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: stock · temple · deal · sharp · bank · mouse · fan · lash

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. stock — shares
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bank — for money
  24. lash — to lash out

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