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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hand — help
  3. net — for catching
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a hole
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. net — after costs
  13. snap — to click
  14. saw — the tool
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. hand — in cards
  19. net — in sport
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. hand — part of the body
  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