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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 124 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. tear — from crying
  4. rest — a break
  5. tear — to rip
  6. lean — thin
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bark — to shout
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rush — hurry
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rest — what's left

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