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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. club — a group
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. squash — to crush
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. stand — to bear
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — a coil
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. spring — the season
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. club — for golf
  22. kick — in football
  23. club — for dancing
  24. ruler — for measuring

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