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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: rush · row · ground · bat · temple · lash · suit · bank

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rush — hurry
  3. row — to paddle
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. row — a line
  7. ground — a position
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bank — for money
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bank — for money
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bank — of a river
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bat — the animal
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. suit — to fit

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