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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 116 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tear — from crying
  3. suit — clothes
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cold — an illness
  6. degree — from a university
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. degree — temperature
  9. object — to protest
  10. tear — from crying
  11. cold — not warm
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. object — a thing
  14. object — an aim
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. degree — an amount
  17. suit — to fit
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. tear — to rip
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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