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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. tear — from crying
  3. rock — music
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bound — obliged
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bass — the fish
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bass — low music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. tear — from crying
  17. deal — to handle
  18. tear — to rip
  19. track — a song
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. track — a path
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — certain

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