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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. craft — boats
  3. tear — to rip
  4. mate — a friend
  5. board — to get on
  6. mate — a partner
  7. suit — clothes
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. suit — to fit
  10. tear — from crying
  11. craft — a skill
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rash — hasty
  14. board — a committee
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. rash — a series
  18. track — a song
  19. track — a path
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. track — to keep track
  22. mate — to breed
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. craft — a handicraft

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