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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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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. ball — a great time
  3. tear — from crying
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. present — there
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. tear — to rip
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. present — a gift
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. present — the time now
  24. rush — hurry

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