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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. game — wild animals
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — bread
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. staff — employees
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. mark — a trace
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. pass — a permit
  15. game — a match
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wound — an injury

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