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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chest — a box
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pop — to visit
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pop — soda
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. pop — music
  19. branch — a division
  20. chest — of your body
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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