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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: mouse · kick · bank · date · content · straw · cap · temple

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. kick — in football
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. date — the fruit
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. content — happy
  12. cap — of ice
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. cap — a lid
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. content — the amount
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. temple — a place of worship

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