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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. can — a tin
  4. mate — a friend
  5. spring — a coil
  6. mate — to breed
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spring — of water
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. can — to be able to
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. spring — the season
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. plane — a tool
  18. perch — the fish
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. tear — to rip
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. can — a tin
  23. mate — a partner
  24. tear — from crying

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