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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tear — from crying
  5. staff — a stick
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. staff — employees
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. staff — employees
  20. tear — to rip
  21. mark — a trace
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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