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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fine — all right
  5. can — a tin
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fall — to drop
  10. tear — to rip
  11. can — a tin
  12. bulb — for light
  13. object — a thing
  14. can — to be able to
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fall — the season
  17. object — to protest
  18. fall — to drop
  19. tear — from crying
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mark — a trace
  24. object — an aim

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