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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. swing — music
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bulb — for light
  7. last — final
  8. tear — from crying
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. ball — a dance
  13. swing — in golf
  14. last — finally
  15. tear — to rip
  16. mate — a friend
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mate — a partner
  19. suit — clothes
  20. swing — to play on
  21. ball — a great time
  22. suit — in cards
  23. last — to go on
  24. fan — a supporter

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