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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: dip · ruler · face · temple · coach · rule · cue · degree

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. face — part of the head
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. cue — for pool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cue — a hint
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. degree — temperature
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. cue — a signal
  18. degree — an amount
  19. face — to confront
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. degree — from a university
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to sink
  24. face — to point toward

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