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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: staff · bay · temple · rule · content · ruler

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rule — government
  4. staff — employees
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. content — happy
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. staff — a stick
  10. content — the amount
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. staff — employees
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. 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