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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. spell — magic
  5. pop — music
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. row — a line
  13. band — a ring
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. row — to paddle
  17. dip — to sink
  18. spell — letters
  19. band — a music group
  20. spell — a short time
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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