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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: deal · temple · current · cap · perch · rule · dip · cell

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. current — happening now
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cap — a lid
  5. current — of water
  6. perch — the fish
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. rule — a law
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. cap — of ice
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rule — government
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. current — electric
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. deal — to handle
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cap — a hat
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. cell — a phone
  24. deal — a big deal

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