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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: ruler · wave · cabinet · kick · temple · stick · land · bay

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. kick — in football
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. land — a country
  20. land — to come down
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. land — ground
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bay — a horse colour

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