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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: stick · band · temple · can · season · rule · rash · swing

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. swing — music
  4. band — a music group
  5. can — a tin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. can — a tin
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. swing — to play on
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. band — a ring
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. swing — in golf
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. season — of the year
  22. rash — a series
  23. rule — government
  24. season — in sport

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