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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bore — to drill
  5. march — music
  6. chest — a box
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. chest — of your body
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. current — of water
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. current — electric
  21. chest — of your body
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bore — to tire
  24. hand — help

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