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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — the tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. drill — a practice
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. field — for sport
  11. drill — army training
  12. present — there
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. field — farmland
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. deal — to handle
  20. present — the time now
  21. field — a subject
  22. present — a gift
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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