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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rest — a break
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bear — the animal
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rest — what's left
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. lie — to recline
  21. snap — to click
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wave — of the sea

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