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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. scale — size or range
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. suit — in cards
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. scale — in music
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. ball — a dance
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. suit — clothes
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. object — to protest
  20. tear — to rip
  21. wind — moving air
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. scale — for weighing

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