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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. can — a tin
  8. chest — of your body
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. firm — a company
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. chest — a box
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rush — hurry
  19. firm — decided
  20. pass — a permit
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. tear — to rip
  24. firm — steady

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