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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — to rip
  4. key — for a lock
  5. rest — a break
  6. date — the fruit
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spell — magic
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. rash — a series
  12. rest — what's left
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. key — in music
  15. cue — for pool
  16. key — the most important part
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — a short time
  21. tear — from crying
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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