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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 120 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. tear — from crying
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. dip — to sink
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. sharp — clever
  14. object — an aim
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. tear — to rip
  23. object — to protest
  24. can — to be able to

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