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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rule — a law
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wound — an injury
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. season — of the year
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. tear — to rip
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. club — for golf
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. club — for dancing
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rule — government
  23. club — a group
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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