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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: rock · kick · band · rush · current · temple · leaves · mug

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. rock — music
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. mug — a face
  6. rock — a stone
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. band — a music group
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. current — of water
  17. mug — to rob
  18. current — electric
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. current — happening now
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mug — a cup
  24. rush — to hurry

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