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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. mark — a grade
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. tear — to rip
  10. staff — employees
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. staff — employees
  13. key — the most important part
  14. face — part of the head
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. suit — clothes
  17. key — in music
  18. staff — a stick
  19. tear — from crying
  20. toast — bread
  21. key — for a lock
  22. snap — to click
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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