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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ground — a position
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bound — tied together
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. tear — from crying
  12. ground — the earth
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bound — certain
  20. tear — to rip
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. foot — a measure

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