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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: cabinet · temple · last · rest · bank · rash · land · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. last — to go on
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. land — ground
  7. rest — a break
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bank — for money
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. last — finally
  12. last — final
  13. bank — for money
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. bank — of a river
  17. rest — what's left
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. rash — hasty

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