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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. court — of law
  5. cap — of ice
  6. tear — from crying
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. tear — to rip
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. date — the fruit
  11. cap — a hat
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. court — of a king
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. suit — to fit
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. court — for sport
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. suit — clothes
  24. tear — from crying

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