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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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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: bank · key · saw · fan · cap · temple · rule · deal

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. key — for a lock
  3. cap — of ice
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. key — in music
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cap — a hat
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bank — for money
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — government
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bank — for money
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bank — of a river
  22. deal — to handle
  23. key — the most important part
  24. saw — the tool

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