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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. tear — from crying
  4. chip — to eat
  5. key — for a lock
  6. tear — to rip
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. key — the most important part
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. march — the month
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. march — the month
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. chip — for betting
  21. key — in music
  22. wind — moving air
  23. march — music
  24. bay — a part 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