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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: hand · land · rock · mouse · fork · temple · swing · ruler

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hand — in cards
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. swing — music
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rock — a stone
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. hand — help
  17. rock — music
  18. land — to come down
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. fork — to eat with

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