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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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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: ruler · temple · net · track · bat · hand · face · nail

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. face — part of the head
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. face — to confront
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. net — after costs
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. track — a song
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bat — the animal
  14. track — a path
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. track — to keep track
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. face — to point toward
  24. nail — for a hammer

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