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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 120 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: temple · mug · plane · branch · rule · press · rash · saw

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. rule — a law
  4. rash — a series
  5. mug — to rob
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rash — hasty
  8. press — to push
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mug — a face
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. branch — a division
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. press — a publisher
  22. saw — the tool
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. plane — a tool

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