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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mark — a trace
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. tear — from crying
  10. present — a gift
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. deal — to handle
  19. snap — to click
  20. mark — a grade
  21. cap — a lid
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. deal — a big deal

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