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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. charge — in control
  6. perch — the fish
  7. charge — electricity
  8. degree — an amount
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. ball — a dance
  17. hand — in cards
  18. degree — from a university
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. hand — help
  21. degree — temperature
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. charge — a price

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