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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. key — for a lock
  4. board — a committee
  5. key — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. tear — from crying
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. scale — in music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. wind — moving air
  12. net — in sport
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. wind — moving air
  16. net — for catching
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. can — to be able to
  19. net — after costs
  20. key — the most important part
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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