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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 trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. sharp — clever
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cue — a signal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wind — moving air
  14. content — the amount
  15. wind — moving air
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. content — happy
  19. cap — of ice
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. cap — a lid
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wind — to turn a key

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