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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 120 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: sharp · wave · temple · bank · chest · bound · nail · lie

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bank — for money
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. chest — a box
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. bank — for money
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bound — tied together
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bank — of a river
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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