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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 120 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. row — to paddle
  3. race — humankind
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. staff — employees
  7. cue — a signal
  8. staff — employees
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — for pool
  11. tear — from crying
  12. race — the arms race
  13. staff — a stick
  14. firm — a company
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. firm — steady
  17. tear — from crying
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. wax — to grow
  20. row — a line
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. firm — decided
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. race — a contest

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