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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: rush · jam · fine · temple · pop · hide

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fine — high quality
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pop — soda
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pop — to visit
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rush — hurry
  16. fine — all right
  17. pop — music
  18. jam — to spread on bread

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