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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chest — a box
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. saw — the tool
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. vault — a safe
  12. charge — in control
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. charge — a price
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. charge — electricity
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. tear — from crying
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. tear — from crying
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — of your body
  23. temple — a place of worship
  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