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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. saw — the tool
  6. snap — to click
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. can — to be able to
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. tear — to rip
  11. can — a tin
  12. vault — a safe
  13. tear — from crying
  14. lean — to bend
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. can — a tin
  22. lean — thin
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  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