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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — to wash
  4. rest — what's left
  5. tear — from crying
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. rest — what's left
  9. tear — from crying
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rest — a break
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. tear — to rip
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. track — to keep track
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. shower — rain
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. firm — decided

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