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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mark — a trace
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cue — for pool
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cue — a signal
  9. tear — from crying
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cue — a hint
  23. plane — a tool
  24. mark — a grade

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