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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. band — a ring
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — steady
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rule — a law
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. tear — from crying
  14. key — in music
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rule — government
  17. dip — to sink
  18. key — for a lock
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. band — a music group
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. firm — a company
  23. key — the most important part
  24. dip — a sauce

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