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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. land — ground
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. land — to come down
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. tear — from crying
  12. tear — from crying
  13. rock — music
  14. wax — to grow
  15. rock — a stone
  16. fine — all right
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. land — a country
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. tear — to rip

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