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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. cell — in biology
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. sharp — clever
  8. march — music
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — a safe
  13. cell — a phone
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. sharp — with an edge

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