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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.

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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: temple · shower · pitch · bay · object · rule · nail · spell

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. object — an aim
  4. spell — a short time
  5. object — a thing
  6. shower — rain
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. spell — magic
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rule — government
  13. object — to protest
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. shower — to wash
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spell — letters

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