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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: temple · rush · cell · press · bound · rest · rash · plane

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rest — what's left
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bound — obliged
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. press — a publisher
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bound — tied together
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rash — a series
  15. cell — a phone
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. cell — in biology
  19. rest — a break
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. press — newspapers
  24. press — to push

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