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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.

Make a worksheet

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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. current — happening now
  5. row — a line
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. row — to paddle
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. suit — to fit
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. current — of water
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fork — in a road
  18. current — electric
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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