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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. saw — the tool
  4. shower — to wash
  5. key — in music
  6. land — ground
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. key — for a lock
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. saw — the tool
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. land — a country
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. land — to come down
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. vault — a safe
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. shower — rain

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