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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. tear — from crying
  5. rule — a law
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. tear — to rip
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pitch — completely
  13. wake — a trail
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. rule — government
  16. perch — the fish
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stand — to bear
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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