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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mug — a face
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bulb — for light
  5. court — of a king
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mug — a cup
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rule — government
  10. court — of law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. track — a song
  13. bulb — for light
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. track — to keep track
  17. court — for sport
  18. tear — to rip
  19. mug — to rob
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. track — a path
  24. rule — a law

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