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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. club — for golf
  3. wound — an injury
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. season — of the year
  7. court — for sport
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — for a lock
  10. court — of a king
  11. tear — from crying
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. club — a group
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. key — the most important part
  16. court — of law
  17. key — in music
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. tear — to rip
  21. club — for dancing
  22. season — in sport
  23. wound — an injury
  24. toast — bread

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