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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. ground — crushed
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ground — the earth
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bound — tied together
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bound — certain
  18. ground — a position
  19. kid — to tease
  20. kid — child
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fan — to cool the air

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