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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. degree — temperature
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. charge — a price
  6. bear — the animal
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. tear — from crying
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — from a university
  16. charge — in control
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. deal — to handle
  19. tear — to rip
  20. charge — electricity
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bear — the animal
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. foot — a measure

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