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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rock — music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rock — a stone
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stand — to bear
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. foot — part of the body

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