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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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. mate — a friend
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rest — a break
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. tear — to rip
  15. fine — all right
  16. mate — a partner
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cell — in biology
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mate — to breed
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cabinet — ministers

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