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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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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: lean · stock · temple · spell · stick · lie · race · rule

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. race — humankind
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. rule — government
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. spell — a short time
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. race — the arms race
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. race — a contest
  13. spell — magic
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stock — shares
  18. lean — thin
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. stock — goods
  21. lean — to bend
  22. spell — letters
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stock — a soup base

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