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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: fork · lash · straw · stand · temple · object · bank · kick

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bank — for money
  5. stand — to bear
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. object — a thing
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bank — for money
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. object — to protest
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fork — in a road
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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