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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pass — a permit
  4. present — a gift
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — a container
  7. tear — to rip
  8. object — an aim
  9. cue — a hint
  10. object — a thing
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — the earth
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. present — the time now
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a signal
  17. ground — crushed
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. present — there
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. object — to protest
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tear — from crying

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