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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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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. object — a thing
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. current — happening now
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pit — in a race
  10. current — of water
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. current — electric
  13. pit — a hole
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. object — an aim
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. hand — help
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. foot — a measure
  22. tear — to rip
  23. object — to protest
  24. foot — the bottom

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