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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: ruler · craft · chair · hand · dip · shower · lie · temple

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. craft — boats
  11. hand — help
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. hand — in cards
  18. craft — a skill
  19. shower — rain
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. chair — a leader
  24. ruler — a monarch

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