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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tube — the underground
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. tear — from crying
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pop — soda
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. season — in sport
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. season — of the year
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. wax — to grow
  16. pop — music
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rash — a series
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pop — to visit
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. tube — a container

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