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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 120 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. field — for sport
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. field — a subject
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lean — thin
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. field — farmland
  24. ruler — a monarch

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