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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. tear — to rip
  3. spell — a short time
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pit — in a race
  6. track — a song
  7. spell — letters
  8. tear — from crying
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. spell — magic
  11. firm — decided
  12. season — in sport
  13. track — to keep track
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. tear — from crying
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. track — a path
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — a company
  23. season — of the year
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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