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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rush · rule · mouse · wind · temple · rash · fan · kick

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rule — government
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. rash — a series
  14. rush — hurry
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rule — a law
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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