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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: temple · chip · rule · cabinet · band · rest · object · wake

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rule — government
  4. rest — a break
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. chip — for betting
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — an aim
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. object — a thing
  15. band — a music group
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rule — a law
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wake — a trail
  22. band — a ring
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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