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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. land — a country
  4. tear — to rip
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rest — what's left
  7. land — to come down
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. tear — from crying
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rest — what's left
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rest — a break
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. land — ground
  22. track — a song
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. deal — an agreement

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