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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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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: mouse · rule · suit · temple · mark · tear · branch · perch

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. mark — a trace
  9. suit — to fit
  10. branch — a division
  11. tear — from crying
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. tear — to rip
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. tear — from crying
  23. suit — in cards
  24. perch — for a bird

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