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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: roll · ground · season · temple · ruler · rash · present · trunk

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. season — of the year
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. roll — a list
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — there
  12. rash — hasty
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. season — in sport
  19. rash — a series
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. ground — a position
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. roll — a cake
  24. ground — the earth

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