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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. can — a tin
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. ground — a position
  10. wax — to grow
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ground — the earth
  13. stem — to come from
  14. ground — crushed
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. chest — of your body
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. can — a tin
  21. chest — of your body
  22. lie — to recline
  23. can — to be able to
  24. temple — a place of worship

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