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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 120 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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  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. tear — from crying
  2. firm — a company
  3. last — finally
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. staff — employees
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. firm — steady
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. firm — decided
  16. bulb — for light
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mark — a trace
  19. last — to go on
  20. bulb — for light
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. last — final
  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