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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: nail · ruler · dip · bound · ball · rest · temple · bat

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — certain
  4. rest — what's left
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. dip — to sink
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bound — obliged
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rest — a break
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bat — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. temple — a place of worship

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