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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
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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: rush · cell · spring · cap · temple · suit · date · rash

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. spring — a coil
  3. date — the fruit
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cell — in biology
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — hurry
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rash — a series
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. spring — the season
  22. cap — a lid
  23. spring — of water
  24. rash — hasty

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