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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. degree — from a university
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. tear — from crying
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. spell — magic
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. degree — temperature
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. charge — electricity
  11. spell — a short time
  12. charge — in control
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. charge — a price
  17. degree — an amount
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. tear — from crying
  23. spell — letters
  24. temple — side of the head

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