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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. track — to keep track
  4. tear — from crying
  5. face — to point toward
  6. mark — a trace
  7. firm — a company
  8. fine — all right
  9. mark — a grade
  10. face — part of the head
  11. firm — decided
  12. court — of a king
  13. firm — steady
  14. court — of law
  15. track — a song
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. track — a path
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. face — to confront
  23. fine — high quality
  24. court — for sport

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