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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
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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: temple · march · pitch · root · rush · date · pop · rule

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. root — the cause
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. march — music
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. march — the month
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. root — of a word
  11. march — the month
  12. root — of a plant
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. pop — soda
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rule — government
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rule — a law
  24. date — the fruit

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