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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 120 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rule — government
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pound — a weight
  9. current — of water
  10. rest — what's left
  11. craft — boats
  12. rest — a break
  13. current — electric
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. current — happening now
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bore — to tire
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bore — to drill

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