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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: mug · deal · scale · temple · rush · bound · row · mate

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mate — a friend
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bound — tied together
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. row — a line
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bound — obliged
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bound — certain
  24. deal — to handle

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