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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in biology
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. band — a music group
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — wild animals
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a cake
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. band — a ring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. roll — a list
  21. game — a match
  22. date — the fruit
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. temple — a place of worship

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