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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: mate · game · mug · hide · ruler · temple · kid · pit

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. mug — to rob
  3. kid — to tease
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mug — a face
  6. mate — a partner
  7. game — a match
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — a hole
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mug — a cup
  17. game — wild animals
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. kid — child
  21. mate — a friend
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mate — to breed

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