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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. ground — the earth
  9. date — the fruit
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. squash — to crush
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. sharp — clever
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. squash — the sport
  22. ground — crushed
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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