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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: temple · shower · bore · rush · nail · hide · band · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. band — a music group
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rush — hurry
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bore — to drill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a ring
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. shower — to wash

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