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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. tear — to rip
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bore — to tire
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bore — to drill
  8. tear — from crying
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — a face
  12. mark — a grade
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. game — a match
  16. date — the fruit
  17. game — wild animals
  18. can — a tin
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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