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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lie — to recline
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. tear — from crying
  9. can — a tin
  10. tear — from crying
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pound — a weight
  13. wound — an injury
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. can — a tin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. can — to be able to
  23. nail — on a finger
  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