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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. current — of water
  3. rule — a law
  4. race — the arms race
  5. object — a thing
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. current — electric
  8. suit — clothes
  9. season — of the year
  10. object — an aim
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. suit — to fit
  13. object — to protest
  14. rule — government
  15. current — happening now
  16. tear — to rip
  17. fine — all right
  18. race — a contest
  19. race — humankind
  20. tear — from crying
  21. suit — in cards
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fine — high quality
  24. season — in sport

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