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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. hand — help
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. tear — to rip
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. spring — of water
  10. tear — from crying
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. hand — in cards
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spring — the season
  18. stand — to bear
  19. spring — a coil
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. suit — clothes
  23. nail — on a finger
  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