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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: cap · rash · kick · temple · bank · drill · club · pass

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. rash — hasty
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bank — of a river
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pass — a permit
  9. cap — a lid
  10. drill — army training
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. rash — a series
  13. club — a group
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bank — for money
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. drill — a practice
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bank — for money
  22. club — for dancing
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. club — for golf

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