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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. tear — to rip
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — in a road
  9. tear — from crying
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. spell — letters
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. object — an aim
  16. tear — from crying
  17. spell — magic
  18. chip — for betting
  19. object — to protest
  20. pass — a permit
  21. object — a thing
  22. spell — a short time
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. nail — for a hammer

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