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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 120 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: pound · bear · pitcher · last · ruler · temple · wave · rash

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pound — a weight
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. last — finally
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. last — final
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. last — to go on
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. rash — a series
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pound — to hit hard

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