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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. tear — to rip
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bound — certain
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bound — tied together
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. date — the fruit
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bound — obliged
  19. tear — from crying
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — a line
  22. pitch — completely
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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