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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. content — the amount
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. tear — to rip
  11. pitch — completely
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. snap — to click
  15. stand — to bear
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. court — of a king
  18. rush — hurry
  19. content — happy
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. court — of law
  23. court — for sport
  24. fan — to cool the air

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