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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. can — a tin
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. staff — a stick
  7. mug — a cup
  8. tear — to rip
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. staff — employees
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. can — to be able to
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. staff — employees
  19. can — a tin
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bat — the animal

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