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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rest — what's left
  6. tear — from crying
  7. content — the amount
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rock — music
  10. suit — clothes
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cap — a lid
  13. content — happy
  14. race — humankind
  15. rock — a stone
  16. tear — to rip
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — the arms race
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cap — of ice
  22. suit — in cards
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. tear — from crying

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