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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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. tear — to rip
  5. suit — to fit
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. tear — from crying
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bulb — for light
  19. land — to come down
  20. suit — clothes
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. suit — in cards
  23. deal — a big deal
  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