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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. present — the time now
  3. tear — from crying
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. current — happening now
  7. wind — moving air
  8. ground — crushed
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. tear — to rip
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. present — there
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. tear — from crying
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. present — a gift
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ground — the earth
  20. current — electric
  21. ground — a position
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wind — moving air
  24. deal — to handle

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