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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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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — government
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. fine — all right
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bank — of a river
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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