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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. tear — from crying
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. staff — a stick
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mug — a cup
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. tear — from crying
  9. staff — employees
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pitch — completely
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. craft — boats
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rule — government
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mug — a face
  22. tear — to rip
  23. staff — employees
  24. craft — a skill

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