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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pitch — completely
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. drill — the tool
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bat — the animal
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. drill — a practice
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bound — certain
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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