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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. tear — to rip
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. swing — to play on
  8. fork — in a road
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. track — to keep track
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mug — to rob
  15. swing — music
  16. mug — a cup
  17. track — a path
  18. swing — in golf
  19. track — a song
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pass — a permit
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. mug — a face

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