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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: lean · hide · bowl · bat · rush · rule · temple · wind

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. rule — a law
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rule — government
  10. bat — the animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. lean — thin
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wind — moving air
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. wind — moving air

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