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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. tear — from crying
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bound — tied together
  6. firm — a company
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bound — obliged
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. firm — decided
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. tear — to rip
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bound — certain
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. snap — to click
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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