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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. rest — what's left
  3. tear — from crying
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. face — part of the head
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rash — a series
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rash — hasty
  15. rush — hurry
  16. face — to point toward
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. deal — to handle
  22. face — to confront
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. tear — from crying

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