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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 am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. face — to point toward
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. face — part of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bore — to tire
  8. firm — a company
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. can — a tin
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. hand — in cards
  15. tear — from crying
  16. firm — steady
  17. tear — to rip
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. tear — from crying
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. hand — help
  23. can — a tin
  24. firm — decided

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