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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. fall — the season
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. tear — from crying
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. court — of a king
  11. row — a line
  12. bulb — for light
  13. dip — to sink
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — to drop
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. tear — to rip
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. court — of law
  23. court — for sport
  24. row — to paddle

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