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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chest — of your body
  7. squash — to crush
  8. chest — a box
  9. row — a line
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. row — to paddle
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. squash — the sport
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. safe — out of danger
  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