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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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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — in music
  4. kick — in football
  5. bound — obliged
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. tear — to rip
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rest — what's left
  14. game — a match
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rest — what's left
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rest — a break
  21. tear — from crying
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. safe — a strongbox

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