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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. tear — from crying
  3. present — the time now
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. toast — bread
  9. prune — to trim
  10. tear — to rip
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. prune — to trim
  14. firm — decided
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. present — a gift
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. firm — a company
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pitch — completely
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. firm — steady

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