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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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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: bank · staff · mouse · chip · lie · temple · rule · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rule — government
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bank — for money
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rule — a law
  8. staff — a stick
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. staff — employees
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chip — for betting
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bank — for money
  21. staff — employees
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bank — of a river

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