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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rule — a law
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mug — a face
  5. ground — a position
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — in biology
  9. rule — government
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. cell — a phone
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. ground — the earth
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. staff — employees
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. staff — a stick
  19. staff — employees
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. ruler — for measuring

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