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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 116 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. tear — from crying
  3. band — a music group
  4. deal — to handle
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rock — music
  8. rush — hurry
  9. mark — a trace
  10. firm — steady
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. band — a ring
  14. firm — a company
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. tear — from crying
  17. firm — decided
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. rock — a stone
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. tear — to rip

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