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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 120 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: rule · scale · bark · safe · temple · wound · chip · bank

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. chip — to eat
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. rule — government
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. scale — size or range
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bank — for money
  12. wound — an injury
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bank — for money
  20. bark — to shout
  21. rule — a law
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. scale — in music
  24. bank — of a river

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