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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. swing — music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wake — a trail
  10. sharp — clever
  11. march — the month
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. march — the month
  16. scale — in music
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. swing — to play on
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. scale — size or range
  23. march — music
  24. swing — in golf

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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