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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: net · temple · jam · rule · fork · bear · mark · stand

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rule — a law
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. fork — in a road
  10. net — for catching
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. stand — to bear
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rule — government
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. mark — a trace
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. net — in sport
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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