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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. roll — a cake
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wound — an injury
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a list
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pound — a weight
  20. date — the fruit
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. jam — a tight spot

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