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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. track — a path
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. fork — in a road
  9. sharp — clever
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. track — a song
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. track — to keep track
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. foot — a measure
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. foot — part of the body

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