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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. capital — a city
  3. can — a tin
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. capital — money
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. field — for sport
  8. charge — electricity
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. tear — to rip
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lean — thin
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. charge — in control
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lean — to bend
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. tear — from crying
  22. charge — a price
  23. field — farmland
  24. field — a subject

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