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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. tear — to rip
  3. firm — steady
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cell — in biology
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pound — a weight
  9. firm — a company
  10. current — happening now
  11. cell — a phone
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. tear — from crying
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. current — electric
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rest — a break
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. firm — decided

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