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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bulb — for light
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. object — a thing
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. snap — to click
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. object — to protest
  15. bulb — for light
  16. tear — to rip
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. deal — to handle
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. tear — from crying
  24. object — an aim

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