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

Word bank: ruler · bore · temple · snap · stick · cabinet · trunk · rash

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bore — to drill
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rash — hasty
  14. snap — to click
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rash — a series
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cabinet — ministers

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