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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. tear — from crying
  16. lie — to recline
  17. tear — to rip
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. deal — to handle
  24. tear — from crying

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