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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: rule · staff · mug · club · jam · bank · game · temple

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. club — a group
  6. staff — employees
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. club — for dancing
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. rule — a law
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bank — for money
  15. rule — government
  16. game — a match
  17. staff — a stick
  18. club — for golf
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. game — wild animals
  21. staff — employees
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. game — a kind of play

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