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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. tear — from crying
  3. staff — employees
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. ground — crushed
  6. staff — employees
  7. ground — a position
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. ground — the earth
  11. fine — all right
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. tear — from crying
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rock — music
  23. tear — to rip
  24. pit — in a race

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