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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. craft — a skill
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. tear — from crying
  7. deal — to handle
  8. fine — high quality
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. toast — bread
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. craft — boats
  20. tear — to rip
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. snap — to click
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — rain

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