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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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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: bank · fall · fine · temple · rule · stem · rush · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. fall — to drop
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fine — all right
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rule — government
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bank — of a river
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rule — a law
  19. bank — for money
  20. fall — the season
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bank — for money
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — a stem cell

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