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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mug — to rob
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. chest — of your body
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bound — obliged
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bound — tied together
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bound — certain
  16. chest — a box
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mug — a face
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. band — a ring
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. mug — a cup

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