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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: rush · lie · temple · trunk · snap · degree · nail · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. degree — from a university
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — temperature
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lie — to recline
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. snap — to click
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rush — hurry
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. ball — a dance
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. temple — side of the head

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