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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 · dip · racket · key · temple · ruler · tear · pitcher

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. tear — from crying
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. tear — to rip
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. key — the most important part
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. dip — to sink
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. tear — from crying
  24. key — for a lock

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