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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 120 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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. tear — from crying
  3. dip — to sink
  4. firm — a company
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rest — what's left
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. saw — the tool
  14. firm — steady
  15. rest — a break
  16. march — music
  17. tear — to rip
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. saw — the tool
  20. march — the month
  21. rest — what's left
  22. tear — from crying
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. firm — decided

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