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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  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. tear — to rip
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. can — a tin
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fine — all right
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bound — obliged
  10. can — to be able to
  11. bound — tied together
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. drill — army training
  14. tear — from crying
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. drill — a practice
  18. can — a tin
  19. bound — certain
  20. snap — to click
  21. tear — from crying
  22. drill — the tool
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  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