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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. file — a tool
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bear — the animal
  5. file — a document
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. craft — boats
  9. rash — hasty
  10. tear — from crying
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. tear — to rip
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. file — a line of people
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rash — a series
  19. pass — a permit
  20. rest — a break
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. tear — from crying

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