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

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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. suit — clothes
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. tear — to rip
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. board — a committee
  13. game — a match
  14. perch — the fish
  15. sharp — clever
  16. deal — to handle
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. suit — to fit
  20. game — wild animals
  21. suit — in cards
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. board — to get on
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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