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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: mark · row · bear · wake · temple · club · rule · toast

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. rule — government
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. club — for dancing
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. row — a line
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. toast — bread
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. club — for golf
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. wake — a trail
  19. mark — a grade
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. club — a group
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rule — a law
  24. bear — the animal

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