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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: kick · pound · rule · can · band · temple · pitcher · leaves

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rule — government
  5. band — a ring
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pound — a weight
  15. rule — a law
  16. can — a tin
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. can — a tin
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. band — a music group
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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