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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. ground — the earth
  3. tear — from crying
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. ground — a position
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. toast — bread
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. object — an aim
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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