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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. cap — a lid
  5. tear — from crying
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cap — a hat
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. track — a path
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — crushed
  17. fine — all right
  18. ground — the earth
  19. track — a song
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wake — a trail

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