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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 trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rash — a series
  3. root — the cause
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. ground — the earth
  9. pop — soda
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. pop — to visit
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rash — hasty
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. root — of a word
  16. pop — music
  17. bat — the animal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ground — a position
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. ground — crushed

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