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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: temple · ruler · key · drill · rest · rash · fall · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fall — the season
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. sharp — clever
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. key — in music
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rash — a series
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. rest — a break
  14. fall — to drop
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rash — hasty
  17. key — the most important part
  18. fall — to drop
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. drill — a practice
  24. sharp — exactly

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