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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. bear — the animal
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fine — all right
  7. tear — from crying
  8. race — the arms race
  9. tear — from crying
  10. race — a contest
  11. club — for dancing
  12. race — humankind
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. club — a group
  20. object — to protest
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. club — for golf
  24. fine — high quality

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