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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. tear — from crying
  3. face — to confront
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. tear — from crying
  6. object — an aim
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. dip — to sink
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. suit — to fit
  11. object — a thing
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. face — part of the head
  15. wake — a trail
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. tear — to rip
  18. face — to point toward
  19. sharp — clever
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. suit — in cards
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. object — to protest
  24. suit — clothes

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