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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: rash · bank · stand · straw · temple · club · vault · dip

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bank — for money
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bank — for money
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stand — to bear
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. bank — of a river
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — a group
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rash — a series
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. rash — hasty
  24. club — for dancing

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