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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. plane — a tool
  5. suit — in cards
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wind — moving air
  12. dip — to sink
  13. tear — to rip
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wind — moving air
  17. suit — to fit
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. tear — from crying
  20. squash — to crush
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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