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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 116 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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Word bank
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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. staff — a stick
  3. tear — to rip
  4. staff — employees
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. tear — from crying
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rock — a stone
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. staff — employees
  19. rock — music
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. face — part of the head
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. face — to confront
  24. wind — moving air

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