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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. club — for dancing
  3. can — a tin
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bear — the animal
  9. tear — to rip
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cell — in biology
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. can — a tin
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — a group
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — crushed
  22. cell — a phone
  23. mark — a trace
  24. ground — the earth

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