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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: fork · charge · bass · rule · patient · ruler · press · temple

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rule — government
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. press — to push
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. charge — in control
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. charge — electricity
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fork — in a road
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bass — the fish
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rule — a law
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. charge — a price
  24. patient — a sick person

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