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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. pass — a permit
  3. tear — from crying
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rock — music
  7. tear — from crying
  8. fall — the season
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. track — a path
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fall — to drop
  16. track — a song
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. fall — to drop
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rock — a stone

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