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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cap — of ice
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. face — to confront
  7. can — a tin
  8. court — of a king
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. cap — a lid
  11. court — for sport
  12. tear — to rip
  13. can — to be able to
  14. cap — a hat
  15. tear — from crying
  16. court — of law
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. can — a tin
  19. tear — from crying
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. racket — for tennis

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