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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. tear — from crying
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. tear — to rip
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. tube — a container
  19. fine — high quality
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fine — all right

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