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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tear — from crying
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. fine — all right
  7. current — happening now
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. wake — a trail
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. shower — to wash
  13. tear — from crying
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fine — high quality
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. current — electric
  18. foot — a measure
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — government
  22. current — of water
  23. shower — rain
  24. stand — on your feet

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