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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. tear — from crying
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ground — the earth
  6. cold — not warm
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — music
  9. charge — a price
  10. tear — from crying
  11. charge — electricity
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. cold — an illness
  21. tear — to rip
  22. fine — high quality
  23. ground — a position
  24. charge — in control

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