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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: rest · temple · hide · pass · rock · bowl · fine · hand

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rest — what's left
  10. hand — help
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. pass — a permit
  16. hand — in cards
  17. fine — all right
  18. rest — a break
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bowl — a football final

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