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

Word bank: deal · roll · game · ruler · fall · temple · pit · chest

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fall — to drop
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pit — in a race
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chest — a box
  8. pit — a hole
  9. deal — to handle
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. chest — of your body
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. roll — a cake
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — wild animals
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fall — the season
  22. roll — a list
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. game — a match

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