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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
468
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: temple · game · stem · rash · march · row · rush · stick

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rash — hasty
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. march — the month
  6. march — music
  7. row — a line
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — wild animals
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. march — the month
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. row — to paddle
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. game — a match
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rash — a series

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