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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rash — hasty
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mark — a grade
  5. tear — from crying
  6. swing — in golf
  7. swing — music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. swing — to play on
  11. rash — a series
  12. charge — in control
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. charge — a price
  16. track — to keep track
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. tear — to rip
  20. track — a song
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. track — a path
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. tear — from crying

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