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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. tear — from crying
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. drill — a practice
  6. club — for golf
  7. face — to confront
  8. chest — of your body
  9. face — to point toward
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. tear — from crying
  12. club — a group
  13. drill — the tool
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. drill — army training
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. tear — to rip
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pound — a weight
  21. chest — of your body
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. safe — out of danger

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