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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · toast · rest · pitcher · tear · rule

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. rest — a break
  3. rule — government
  4. rest — what's left
  5. tear — from crying
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rest — what's left
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. toast — bread
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. tear — from crying
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rule — a law

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