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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  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 — from crying
  2. chip — to eat
  3. dip — to sink
  4. cap — a lid
  5. roll — a list
  6. last — final
  7. bass — the fish
  8. roll — a cake
  9. tear — to rip
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. last — to go on
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. last — finally
  19. cap — of ice
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cap — a hat
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bass — low music
  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