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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. tear — to rip
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. present — a gift
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. present — there
  9. bear — the animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. present — the time now
  12. hand — in cards
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. suit — to fit
  17. tear — from crying
  18. hand — help
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bear — the animal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wax — to grow

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