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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. firm — steady
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. firm — a company
  5. track — a song
  6. roll — a cake
  7. key — the most important part
  8. tear — from crying
  9. roll — a list
  10. key — in music
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. race — a contest
  13. saw — the tool
  14. track — a path
  15. saw — the tool
  16. track — to keep track
  17. race — humankind
  18. tear — to rip
  19. key — for a lock
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. race — the arms race
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — music
  24. firm — decided

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