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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: rule · wave · jam · mate · press · bass · bear · temple

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mate — a friend
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bass — low music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. mate — a partner
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mate — to breed
  20. press — a publisher
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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