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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rock — music
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. shower — to wash
  7. rock — a stone
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rule — government
  10. toast — bread
  11. bat — the animal
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. shower — rain
  19. kick — in football
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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