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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: straw · stand · temple · sharp · club · coach · bank · bark

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. bank — for money
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. stand — to bear
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. bank — of a river
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bank — for money
  23. bark — to shout
  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