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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. club — for golf
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ball — a dance
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. club — a group
  12. pit — a hole
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. can — a tin
  15. band — a ring
  16. cell — a phone
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. cell — in biology
  22. club — for dancing
  23. band — a music group
  24. ball — a round shape

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