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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 · rush · mouse · spell · staff · fall · temple · lie

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. spell — magic
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rush — hurry
  12. staff — employees
  13. spell — a short time
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fall — to drop
  16. staff — a stick
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. staff — employees
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fall — the season
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. spell — letters

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