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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cue — for pool
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. stand — to bear
  13. cue — a signal
  14. board — a committee
  15. spring — a coil
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. spring — the season
  19. board — to get on
  20. rock — a stone
  21. spring — of water
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rock — music
  24. cue — a hint

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