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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. ball — a dance
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stand — to bear
  7. ball — a great time
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rule — a law
  11. dip — to sink
  12. tear — to rip
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. season — of the year
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. season — in sport
  20. tube — a container
  21. rule — government
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mouse — the animal

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