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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. charge — in control
  3. tear — to rip
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. charge — a price
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pound — a weight
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. charge — electricity
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — an eyelash

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