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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. mug — to rob
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fall — to drop
  9. drill — the tool
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. fine — all right
  14. drill — army training
  15. fall — the season
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mug — a face
  20. drill — a practice
  21. mug — a cup
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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