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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rule · temple · bound · mine · firm · press · wave · tube

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. press — a publisher
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. firm — a company
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. rule — a law
  7. bound — obliged
  8. rule — government
  9. press — newspapers
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bound — certain
  17. mine — for digging
  18. firm — decided
  19. press — to push
  20. bound — tied together
  21. firm — steady
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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