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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 116 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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pitch — completely
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — finally
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tear — to rip
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pit — a hole
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. tear — from crying
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. last — final
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. nail — on a finger

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