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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. degree — temperature
  7. object — a thing
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. object — to protest
  10. wake — a trail
  11. fine — high quality
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. drill — a practice
  14. rule — government
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. drill — army training
  17. degree — from a university
  18. fine — all right
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — a law
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. degree — an amount
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. object — an aim

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