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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. tear — from crying
  3. mark — a trace
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. tear — to rip
  9. rock — a stone
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bass — low music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bass — the fish
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. vault — a safe
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mark — a grade
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. leaves — lets stay

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