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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. saw — the tool
  3. sharp — clever
  4. spell — a short time
  5. tear — to rip
  6. spell — letters
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. saw — the tool
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bear — the animal
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. current — of water
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. tear — from crying
  16. rock — music
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rock — a stone
  19. current — electric
  20. spell — magic
  21. bear — the animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. current — happening now
  24. suit — in cards

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