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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. firm — a company
  10. can — a tin
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rush — hurry
  13. branch — a division
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. mine — for digging
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mine — an explosive

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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