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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. charge — in control
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. cue — a signal
  6. band — a music group
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. charge — electricity
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. band — a ring
  15. tear — from crying
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. charge — a price
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. tear — to rip
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pit — a hole
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to sink

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