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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: lash · temple · stock · bank · rush · date · key · bass

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. stock — shares
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. key — the most important part
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bank — of a river
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bank — for money
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bass — the fish
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. stock — goods
  20. bass — low music
  21. bank — for money
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. lash — an eyelash

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