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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: staff · mate · bank · snap · chest · fine · temple · cabinet

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mate — a partner
  4. fine — all right
  5. snap — to click
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bank — for money
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — a box
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. fine — high quality
  14. staff — a stick
  15. mate — a friend
  16. staff — employees
  17. mate — to breed
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bank — of a river
  20. staff — employees
  21. chest — of your body
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. cabinet — ministers

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