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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: temple · object · chair · fork · mouse · lie · roll · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. roll — a cake
  5. object — to protest
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. chair — a leader
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. roll — a list
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. drill — army training
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. drill — the tool
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. object — an aim
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. object — a thing

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