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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rock — a stone
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tear — from crying
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mark — a trace
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. tear — to rip
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tube — a container
  24. rock — music

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