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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pop — music
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bulb — for light
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. tear — to rip
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pop — soda
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. scale — in music
  19. mug — a face
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pitch — completely
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. tear — from crying
  24. pitch — a sports field

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