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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. firm — a company
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. current — of water
  14. tear — from crying
  15. firm — decided
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. current — electric
  18. firm — steady
  19. tear — from crying
  20. current — happening now
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. leaves — of a tree

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