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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. tear — from crying
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. tear — from crying
  5. staff — a stick
  6. wind — moving air
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. staff — employees
  9. can — a tin
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. can — a tin
  15. staff — employees
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. rock — a stone
  20. can — to be able to
  21. tear — to rip
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. fork — in a road

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