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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. suit — in cards
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. file — a document
  7. suit — to fit
  8. tear — from crying
  9. bore — to tire
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. capital — a city
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wave — of the sea

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