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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. object — a thing
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. can — a tin
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. object — an aim
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. can — a tin
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. can — to be able to
  17. tear — to rip
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. object — to protest
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. tear — from crying
  24. wake — a trail

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