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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. tear — from crying
  3. chair — a leader
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — all right
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. tear — from crying
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — part of the head
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. hand — in cards
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. fine — high quality
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. face — to point toward

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