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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tear — from crying
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. game — wild animals
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — from a university
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. tear — from crying
  17. degree — an amount
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. game — a match
  24. toast — bread

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