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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. object — to protest
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. season — in sport
  6. season — of the year
  7. swing — in golf
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. object — a thing
  11. mate — a friend
  12. swing — music
  13. object — an aim
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rule — government
  17. tear — to rip
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. key — in music
  22. swing — to play on
  23. tear — from crying
  24. rule — a law

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