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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bank — for money
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. stem — to come from
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cold — an illness
  9. rule — a law
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bank — for money
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rule — government
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bank — of a river
  18. cold — not warm
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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