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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: rock · jam · mate · temple · band · rule · fall · calf

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. band — a ring
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rule — government
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. fall — to drop
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rock — a stone
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rock — music
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. fall — the season
  19. mate — a partner
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. rule — a law
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. band — a music group

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