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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. key — in music
  6. mate — a partner
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mate — a friend
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rest — what's left
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. rest — a break
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rest — what's left
  21. cap — a hat
  22. key — the most important part
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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