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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. key — in music
  4. rash — hasty
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stock — shares
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. key — for a lock
  11. can — a tin
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. tear — from crying
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rash — a series
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stock — goods
  22. tear — to rip
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. can — a tin

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