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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pound — a weight
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rest — a break
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. tear — from crying
  10. staff — employees
  11. fork — in a road
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. staff — employees
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bass — low music
  21. tear — to rip
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. bass — the fish

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