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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. firm — decided
  6. pop — music
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pop — to visit
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. firm — steady
  13. pop — soda
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. firm — a company
  16. wound — an injury
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. stick — to attach or keep to

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