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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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. stand — to bear
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. charge — electricity
  6. object — to protest
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. tear — from crying
  9. cold — not warm
  10. tear — to rip
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. charge — in control
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. object — an aim
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. can — a tin
  20. object — a thing
  21. tear — from crying
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. charge — a price

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