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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. object — to protest
  3. march — the month
  4. dip — to sink
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. can — a tin
  7. object — a thing
  8. tear — to rip
  9. tear — from crying
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. chip — to eat
  12. can — a tin
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. object — an aim
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. march — music
  19. chip — for betting
  20. board — to get on
  21. can — to be able to
  22. board — a committee
  23. march — the month
  24. board — a flat piece

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