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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. scale — in music
  3. pitch — completely
  4. tear — to rip
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ball — a great time
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — to tire
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bowl — a football final

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