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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: lie · rule · club · fan · row · rock · temple · wind

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. row — to paddle
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rule — a law
  7. rock — a stone
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. rock — music
  11. wind — moving air
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. club — for golf
  15. row — a line
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. club — a group
  21. lie — to recline
  22. club — for dancing
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. rock — to move gently

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