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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: saw · dip · mug · rule · temple · foot · wake · present

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. mug — a face
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. present — there
  10. mug — to rob
  11. foot — a measure
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rule — government
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. rule — a law
  21. present — a gift
  22. mug — a cup
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. present — the time now

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