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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: temple · fan · shower · current · mug · face · tear · bowl

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. current — happening now
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. face — part of the head
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. face — to confront
  15. shower — to wash
  16. current — electric
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. current — of water
  23. face — to point toward
  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