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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. charge — a price
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wax — to grow
  7. mug — to rob
  8. charge — electricity
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mug — a face
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mug — a cup
  13. game — wild animals
  14. key — the most important part
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mate — a friend
  17. key — in music
  18. suit — clothes
  19. charge — in control
  20. mate — a partner
  21. tear — from crying
  22. game — a match
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. wax — in the ear

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