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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. firm — decided
  3. clip — for paper
  4. tear — to rip
  5. squash — to crush
  6. tear — from crying
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. mark — a trace
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. clip — to cut
  14. squash — the sport
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. clip — a video
  17. tear — from crying
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. firm — a company
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. firm — steady
  24. stick — to attach or keep 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