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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: band · bank · firm · lie · hand · squash · temple · nail

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. hand — help
  4. firm — a company
  5. lie — to recline
  6. firm — decided
  7. band — a music group
  8. bank — of a river
  9. squash — to crush
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bank — for money
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bank — for money
  19. hand — in cards
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. band — a ring
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. firm — steady

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