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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  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. object — a thing
  3. tear — to rip
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rock — a stone
  6. toast — bread
  7. object — to protest
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. object — an aim
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. band — a ring
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. band — a music group
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — music
  23. temple — side of the head
  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