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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cap · temple · rush · band · press · wave · cabinet · rule

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. band — a music group
  4. rule — government
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. press — newspapers
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rush — hurry
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. band — a ring
  18. cap — of ice
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. press — a publisher
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. press — to push
  24. 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