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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. tear — from crying
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. saw — the tool
  5. tear — from crying
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. tear — to rip
  9. cap — of ice
  10. stand — to bear
  11. wind — moving air
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rule — a law
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. rule — government
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wind — moving air

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