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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
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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: suit · temple · drill · hand · content · rock · lean · stick

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. lean — thin
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. drill — a practice
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lean — to bend
  12. content — the amount
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. hand — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. rock — music
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. suit — clothes
  21. content — happy
  22. hand — help
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. drill — army training

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