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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: rush · suit · fine · temple · bat · object · present · hide

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. fine — all right
  4. suit — to fit
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. object — to protest
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. present — the time now
  9. rush — hurry
  10. object — a thing
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. present — there
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. suit — clothes
  15. fine — high quality
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. present — a gift
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bat — the animal
  24. object — an aim

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