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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. lean — to bend
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. roll — a list
  13. tear — to rip
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bore — to tire
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. deal — to handle
  18. tear — from crying
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lean — thin
  24. bore — to drill

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