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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. present — the time now
  3. tear — from crying
  4. kid — child
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. present — there
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. toast — bread
  12. present — a gift
  13. tear — from crying
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. snap — to click
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. kid — to tease
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. leaves — lets stay

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