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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. craft — a skill
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. content — the amount
  7. current — happening now
  8. staff — employees
  9. current — of water
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. staff — employees
  13. craft — boats
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. tear — from crying
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kick — in football
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. current — electric
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. content — happy
  23. staff — a stick
  24. tear — from crying

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