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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. band — a ring
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. face — to confront
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cell — in biology
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. cue — for pool
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. face — to point toward
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cap — a lid
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cue — a signal
  23. band — a music group
  24. face — part of the head

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