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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 trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. wax — to grow
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. fall — the season
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. hand — help
  12. court — for sport
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. fall — to drop
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. court — of law
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fall — to drop
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. court — of a king
  24. hand — in cards

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