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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. foot — a measure
  3. tear — to rip
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cell — a phone
  6. tear — from crying
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bank — for money
  9. cell — in biology
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. can — a tin
  13. plane — a tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bank — of a river
  18. can — to be able to
  19. tear — from crying
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bank — for money
  24. temple — a place of worship

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