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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: bat · hide · temple · ruler · drill · jam · rock · net

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. rock — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bat — the animal
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. rock — a stone
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — a practice
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. net — after costs
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. drill — army training
  21. net — for catching
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. net — in sport

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