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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. content — happy
  3. bulb — for light
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. firm — decided
  6. deal — to handle
  7. firm — a company
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bulb — for light
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — from crying
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. fine — high quality
  19. chair — a leader
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. content — the amount
  23. fine — all right
  24. firm — steady

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