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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 120 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bound — certain
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rush — hurry
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bound — obliged
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. tear — to rip
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mark — a trace
  20. snap — to click
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bound — tied together

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