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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 120 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: pass · mate · mine · rule · temple · wax · board · bear

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  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. mine — an explosive
  2. bear — the animal
  3. board — to get on
  4. pass — a permit
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mate — a friend
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — to grow
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bear — the animal
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — to breed
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — a law
  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