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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. sharp — clever
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. roll — a list
  8. cell — in biology
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. stem — to come from
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. firm — steady
  16. object — to protest
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. roll — a cake
  19. object — an aim
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. firm — decided
  23. cell — a phone
  24. object — a thing

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