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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. firm — decided
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. firm — a company
  7. tear — from crying
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rock — a stone
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. tear — to rip
  13. firm — steady
  14. spell — magic
  15. ball — a great time
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — a tin
  18. lie — to recline
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rock — music
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. spell — letters
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. spell — a short time

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