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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · rule · temple · bass · date · bank · stick · patient

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bass — low music
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bank — of a river
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bank — for money
  9. can — a tin
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bank — for money
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rule — a law
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. can — a tin
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bass — the fish
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — the fruit
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. can — to be able to

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