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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — a price
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. tear — to rip
  7. tear — from crying
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. tube — a container
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mate — a partner
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ground — a position
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. tear — from crying
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. charge — electricity
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. mate — a friend
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. mate — to breed
  22. ground — crushed
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fan — a supporter

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