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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. game — a match
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. staff — employees
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. content — happy
  16. roll — a list
  17. wake — a trail
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. roll — a cake
  22. content — the amount
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. game — wild animals

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