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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.

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: bass · staff · lie · rule · spell · band · bank · temple

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. bass — the fish
  3. rule — a law
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. staff — a stick
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bank — of a river
  11. rule — government
  12. bank — for money
  13. staff — employees
  14. bass — low music
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. staff — employees
  18. bank — for money
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. band — a ring
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — letters
  24. band — a rubber band

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