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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 120 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. tear — from crying
  4. mark — a trace
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mark — a grade
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — obliged
  11. tear — to rip
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. spell — magic
  15. bound — certain
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. face — to confront
  18. spell — a short time
  19. face — part of the head
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. spell — letters
  23. tear — from crying
  24. deal — to handle

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