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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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Word bank
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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wound — an injury
  6. present — the time now
  7. cue — a signal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. cue — a hint
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. cue — for pool
  13. present — there
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. fork — in a road
  18. wound — an injury
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. present — a gift

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