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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: safe · spring · pop · temple · roll · mate · rule · stock

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. roll — a list
  4. mate — a friend
  5. spring — a coil
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — shares
  10. spring — of water
  11. pop — to visit
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pop — music
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. pop — soda
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — government
  21. roll — a cake
  22. spring — the season
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mate — a partner

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