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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bank — for money
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rule — government
  6. file — a document
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mate — to breed
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. foot — a measure
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. rush — hurry
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bank — for money
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mate — a partner
  24. foot — part of the body

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