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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mate — a friend
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. date — the fruit
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bark — to shout
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mate — to breed
  15. rule — government
  16. bore — to drill
  17. fine — all right
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. mate — a partner
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. temple — a place of worship

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