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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: march · rule · rush · temple · present · rock · cabinet · charge

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rock — a stone
  5. present — the time now
  6. charge — in control
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. present — a gift
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. march — music
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. rock — music
  17. march — the month
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rule — government
  20. charge — a price
  21. rule — a law
  22. present — there
  23. charge — electricity
  24. march — the month

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