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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. content — happy
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. craft — boats
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. clip — to cut
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. clip — for paper
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. clip — a video
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. tear — from crying
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — the amount
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. nail — on a finger

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