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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. pass — a permit
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. tear — from crying
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. charge — in control
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. tear — from crying
  15. kick — in football
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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