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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cue · lash · date · bank · stock · temple · wax · mine

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bank — for money
  5. cue — for pool
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stock — shares
  12. mine — for digging
  13. stock — goods
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bank — of a river
  16. wax — to grow
  17. date — the fruit
  18. cue — a signal
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. cue — a hint

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