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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. tear — to rip
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. track — a song
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. track — to keep track
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. cell — a phone
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. track — a path
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. deal — to handle
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. tear — from crying
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. cell — in biology

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