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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. season — in sport
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — from crying
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. tear — to rip
  8. rash — hasty
  9. charge — a price
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pop — to visit
  12. cell — a phone
  13. charge — in control
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rash — a series
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cell — in biology
  21. pop — music
  22. charge — electricity
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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