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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: cabinet · mouse · race · lie · rush · object · branch · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rush — hurry
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — a thing
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. branch — a division
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. race — the arms race
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. race — a contest
  19. lie — to recline
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. race — humankind
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. lie — an untruth

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