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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. club — for dancing
  3. deal — to handle
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — a partner
  7. can — a tin
  8. tear — from crying
  9. club — a group
  10. rock — a stone
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. last — to go on
  13. season — of the year
  14. last — finally
  15. club — for golf
  16. tear — to rip
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mate — to breed
  21. can — a tin
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — in sport
  24. last — final

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