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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: mark · cabinet · firm · rash · cap · temple · clip · rule

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rash — a series
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mark — a grade
  6. clip — a video
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. clip — to cut
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. firm — steady
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a hat
  16. firm — decided
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rule — a law
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. clip — for paper
  22. rule — government
  23. firm — a company
  24. temple — a place of worship

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