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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pit — in a race
  3. tear — from crying
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pop — to visit
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. tear — to rip
  9. pop — music
  10. suit — clothes
  11. capital — money
  12. pop — soda
  13. capital — a city
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. charge — electricity
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. pit — a hole
  21. tear — from crying
  22. suit — in cards
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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