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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. field — a subject
  3. field — farmland
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. field — for sport
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. tear — to rip
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — happy
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. key — the most important part
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. key — in music
  24. tear — from crying

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