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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: chip · last · ball · ruler · stand · cabinet · temple · ground

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  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. last — finally
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. last — to go on
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — crushed
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. chip — to eat
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. last — final
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. stand — to bear
  22. chip — for betting
  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