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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rush — hurry
  3. craft — a skill
  4. shower — to wash
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. shower — rain
  7. stem — to come from
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mug — to rob
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. craft — boats
  21. rule — government
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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