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

Word bank: suit · roll · temple · rule · date · sharp

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  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. date — on the calendar
  2. suit — in cards
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. date — the fruit
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. roll — a list
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. roll — a cake
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rule — a law
  11. sharp — clever
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rule — government
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. suit — to fit
  17. date — on the calendar
  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