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

Word bank: rule · kick · swing · temple · lie · present

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. kick — in football
  5. present — the time now
  6. swing — in golf
  7. present — there
  8. swing — music
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rule — a law
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. present — a gift
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rule — government
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rule — to rule out

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