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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wind — moving air
  6. field — farmland
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. tear — from crying
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wind — moving air
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rock — music
  14. craft — boats
  15. field — for sport
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. field — a subject
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rock — a stone
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. tear — from crying
  24. craft — a handicraft

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