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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mate — to breed
  3. tear — to rip
  4. saw — the tool
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. can — a tin
  10. tear — from crying
  11. board — to get on
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. branch — a division
  15. mate — a partner
  16. saw — the tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mate — a friend
  19. board — a committee
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. board — a flat piece

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