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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. saw — the tool
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. tear — to rip
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mark — a grade
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rule — a law
  12. tube — a container
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pass — a permit
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. dip — to sink
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rule — government
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mark — a trace

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