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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bat — the animal
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bear — the animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. march — the month
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bear — the animal
  11. staff — a stick
  12. march — the month
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pit — a hole
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pit — in a race
  22. march — music
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. staff — employees

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