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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. suit — in cards
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rest — what's left
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rest — a break
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. tear — from crying
  14. ball — a great time
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rest — what's left
  18. suit — to fit
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. tear — from crying
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. tear — to rip

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