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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 116 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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. march — the month
  5. current — happening now
  6. tear — from crying
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. wake — a trail
  11. season — of the year
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. current — electric
  14. firm — a company
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. march — the month
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. current — of water
  23. march — music
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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