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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. field — for sport
  3. club — a group
  4. suit — clothes
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. club — for dancing
  8. suit — in cards
  9. kid — to tease
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. prune — to trim
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. club — for golf
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. field — a subject
  20. kid — child
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. suit — to fit
  24. field — farmland

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