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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 120 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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rush — hurry
  17. tear — to rip
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bark — to shout
  24. stand — to bear

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