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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. kick — in football
  4. tear — from crying
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. prune — to trim
  7. track — a path
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a great time
  11. track — to keep track
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. track — a song
  23. tear — from crying
  24. prune — to trim

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