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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. net — after costs
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. spell — letters
  9. foot — a measure
  10. kid — child
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. net — in sport
  14. kid — to tease
  15. spell — a short time
  16. tear — from crying
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. net — for catching
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. spell — magic
  22. tear — to rip
  23. safe — a strongbox
  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