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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. track — to keep track
  4. fine — all right
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. toast — bread
  7. season — of the year
  8. firm — decided
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. tear — from crying
  13. fine — high quality
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. track — a path
  16. season — in sport
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. firm — a company
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. firm — steady
  24. track — a song

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