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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. spring — a coil
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. rest — what's left
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. tear — from crying
  8. spring — the season
  9. can — a tin
  10. spring — of water
  11. lean — thin
  12. can — a tin
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. tear — to rip
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rest — a break
  18. can — to be able to
  19. chip — to eat
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. chip — for betting
  22. perch — the fish
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wave — of the sea

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