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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. season — of the year
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — a break
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fine — all right
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. race — humankind
  15. bulb — for light
  16. season — in sport
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — the arms race
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. tear — from crying
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. tear — to rip
  24. ball — a dance

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