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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. swing — in golf
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. suit — in cards
  6. tear — to rip
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. prune — to trim
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. kid — child
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. swing — to play on
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. suit — to fit
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. swing — music
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — to drill
  23. kid — to tease
  24. suit — clothes

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