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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: temple · staff · tear · firm · foot · fork

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. tear — to rip
  3. staff — employees
  4. tear — from crying
  5. firm — decided
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. tear — from crying
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. staff — employees
  11. firm — a company
  12. foot — a measure
  13. staff — a stick
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. firm — steady
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — in a road

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