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

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. ground — a position
  15. tear — from crying
  16. ground — the earth
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. nail — for a hammer

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