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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cap — of ice
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bound — certain
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ground — a position
  12. bound — obliged
  13. ball — a great time
  14. staff — employees
  15. cap — a hat
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ground — crushed
  18. cap — a lid
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. staff — employees
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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