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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. tear — from crying
  3. rest — a break
  4. shower — to wash
  5. staff — employees
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. tear — from crying
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. mate — a friend
  11. firm — a company
  12. mate — a partner
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. rest — what's left
  15. band — a music group
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. staff — employees
  18. mate — to breed
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. shower — rain
  21. tear — to rip
  22. staff — a stick
  23. band — a ring
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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