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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. tear — from crying
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. foot — a measure
  7. lean — thin
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pass — a permit
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. tear — to rip
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. suit — clothes
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pass — to succeed

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