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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.

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: temple · toast · perch · land · rash · hand · ball · bank

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. land — to come down
  3. bank — for money
  4. hand — in cards
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. hand — help
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bank — of a river
  18. land — a country
  19. land — ground
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rash — a series
  23. bank — for money
  24. rash — hasty

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