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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. root — the cause
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. kid — to tease
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. band — a music group
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rush — hurry
  14. lie — to recline
  15. root — of a word
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. kid — child
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. band — a ring
  21. root — of a plant
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. temple — a place of worship

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