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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. fork — in a road
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. wind — moving air
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. tear — from crying
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. mate — a partner
  12. tear — from crying
  13. mate — a friend
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. march — the month
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pit — in a race
  24. fork — a garden tool

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