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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tube — a container
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. tear — from crying
  8. charge — a price
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bound — obliged
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. object — an aim
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bound — tied together
  17. object — to protest
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. rest — what's left
  20. charge — in control
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bound — certain
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. object — a thing

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