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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bat · temple · ruler · stand · drill · bear · game · rush

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. game — a match
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. drill — a practice
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bat — the animal
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stand — to bear
  24. game — wild animals

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