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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: foot · temple · snap · tear · cell · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. tear — to rip
  8. cell — in biology
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. tear — from crying
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. snap — to click
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. cell — a phone
  18. tear — from crying

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