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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: rule · stock · jam · sharp · fine · temple · prune · rush

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. stock — goods
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. prune — to trim
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rush — hurry
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rule — a law
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. stock — shares
  21. sharp — clever
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. prune — the fruit

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