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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. net — after costs
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. net — in sport
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. chest — of your body
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. chest — of your body
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. snap — to click
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chest — a box
  18. deal — to handle
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. dip — to sink
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. net — for catching

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