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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. rash — hasty
  3. key — in music
  4. rash — a series
  5. staff — a stick
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tube — a container
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. key — for a lock
  12. staff — employees
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. key — the most important part
  16. staff — employees
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — government
  21. tube — the underground
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rest — what's left

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