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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bat — the animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lie — to recline
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. degree — from a university
  14. clip — to cut
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. degree — temperature
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. degree — an amount
  20. clip — a video
  21. clip — for paper
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. vault — a safe

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