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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 120 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. rush — hurry
  3. deal — to handle
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. season — of the year
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. tear — to rip
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bear — the animal
  13. can — a tin
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. season — in sport

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