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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — for catching
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. tear — to rip
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. tear — from crying
  10. net — after costs
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cap — of ice
  14. squash — to crush
  15. rest — what's left
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. cap — a lid
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. rest — a break
  22. squash — the sport
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rest — what's left

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