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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 116 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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cell — in biology
  4. can — to be able to
  5. land — a country
  6. cap — a hat
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. can — a tin
  10. land — to come down
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. land — ground
  13. tear — to rip
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cap — of ice
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cell — a phone
  21. can — a tin
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. tear — from crying
  24. lash — to lash out

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