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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 120 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: cell · bound · nail · temple · plane · march · rock · rush

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. march — music
  4. rock — music
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. march — the month
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cell — in biology
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. plane — a tool
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. march — the month
  18. bound — tied together
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cell — a phone

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