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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: chest · temple · cabinet · lie · bank · mark · pound · bark

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chest — of your body
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bark — to shout
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bank — for money
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chest — a box
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. chest — of your body
  24. temple — a place of worship

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