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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rash — hasty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. hand — help
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. current — happening now
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. suit — clothes
  17. hand — in cards
  18. pop — soda
  19. suit — to fit
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. rash — a series
  23. bat — the animal
  24. pop — music

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