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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. track — to keep track
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. present — a gift
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. vault — a safe
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. present — there
  9. deal — to handle
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. track — a song
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. roll — a cake
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. roll — a list
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. track — a path
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — from crying
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. present — the time now
  24. jam — in traffic

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