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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. mark — a grade
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rush — hurry
  7. suit — clothes
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. race — a contest
  10. suit — in cards
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. cap — a hat
  14. race — humankind
  15. cap — of ice
  16. tear — from crying
  17. cap — a lid
  18. mark — a trace
  19. race — the arms race
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. tear — from crying
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. straw — dry grass

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