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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. chest — of your body
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. press — to push
  15. mark — a trace
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. chest — of your body
  18. press — a publisher
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chest — a box
  21. fork — in a road
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. press — newspapers

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