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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: temple · bank · hand · ball · rush · capital · ground · track

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. ground — a position
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bank — of a river
  6. capital — a city
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hand — in cards
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bank — for money
  13. rush — hurry
  14. capital — money
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. ground — crushed
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. track — a path
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. track — a song
  22. bank — for money
  23. hand — help
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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