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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. capital — money
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mug — to rob
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. degree — temperature
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mug — a face
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. degree — an amount
  19. capital — a city
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rush — hurry
  22. degree — from a university
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. temple — a place of worship

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