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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 120 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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. rock — a stone
  3. can — to be able to
  4. stock — goods
  5. rush — hurry
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mate — to breed
  8. tear — to rip
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — a cup
  14. can — a tin
  15. mate — a friend
  16. stock — shares
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rock — music
  20. game — a match
  21. mate — a partner
  22. can — a tin
  23. game — wild animals
  24. rush — to hurry

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