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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tear — from crying
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. key — in music
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. ball — a dance
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. tear — from crying
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. track — a song
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — for a lock
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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