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

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — wild animals
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wind — moving air
  6. drill — the tool
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. drill — army training
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wind — moving air
  15. chair — a leader
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. foot — a measure
  18. drill — a practice
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. game — a match
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. chair — a professorship

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