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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 ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. rest — what's left
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. pit — in a race
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rest — what's left
  10. season — in sport
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pit — a hole
  15. shower — to wash
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. season — of the year
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. rest — a break
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. shower — rain
  24. tube — the underground

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