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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. court — for sport
  3. foot — a measure
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. court — of a king
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — thin
  10. court — of law
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rash — a series
  13. mug — a face
  14. tear — to rip
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rash — hasty
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — the bottom

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