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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: rule · current · bass · stem · temple · fall · rash · firm

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bass — the fish
  5. current — electric
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. current — of water
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. fall — the season
  12. firm — a company
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. current — happening now
  15. rash — hasty
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. firm — steady
  19. rash — a series
  20. bass — low music
  21. firm — decided
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — to come from

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