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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. stand — to bear
  3. tear — to rip
  4. saw — the tool
  5. tear — from crying
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. track — to keep track
  8. hand — help
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rock — a stone
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rock — music
  21. tear — from crying
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  24. rock — to move gently

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