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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: cabinet · stick · present · perch · rule · temple

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. perch — the fish
  4. present — a gift
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. present — the time now
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. present — there

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