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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. can — to be able to
  3. tear — from crying
  4. mark — a trace
  5. spell — magic
  6. can — a tin
  7. mug — a cup
  8. chest — of your body
  9. spell — a short time
  10. tear — to rip
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. chest — of your body
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mug — to rob
  17. can — a tin
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. spell — letters
  20. tear — from crying
  21. chest — a box
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mug — a face
  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