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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · press · temple · ruler · bound · tear

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bound — obliged
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bound — tied together
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. tear — to rip
  9. press — a publisher
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. press — newspapers
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bound — certain
  16. press — to push
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head

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