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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 · pound · hide · ruler · wound · rush · fine · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fine — high quality
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. mark — a grade
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rush — hurry
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. pound — a weight
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. fine — all right
  24. ruler — a monarch

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