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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: patient · band · rule · squash · charge · mine · face · temple

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. band — a music group
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. face — part of the head
  6. mine — for digging
  7. band — a ring
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rule — a law
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. charge — a price
  15. rule — government
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. squash — to crush
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. squash — the sport
  21. face — to confront
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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