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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: nail · dip · chest · ruler · temple · bank · last · ball

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. chest — a box
  3. bank — for money
  4. ball — a great time
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. chest — of your body
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bank — of a river
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bank — for money
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. last — to go on
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. last — finally
  24. last — final

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