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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. tear — to rip
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. object — to protest
  6. chip — for betting
  7. suit — in cards
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. deal — to handle
  14. race — the arms race
  15. tear — from crying
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chip — to eat
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — clothes
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fork — in a road
  22. race — humankind
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. race — a contest

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