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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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Word bank
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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: stand · temple · object · tear · foot · rock · craft · bat

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stand — to bear
  4. tear — from crying
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. object — to protest
  7. bat — the animal
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. rock — music
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — boats
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. object — a thing
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. object — an aim
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. temple — a place of worship

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