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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mark — a grade
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. shower — rain
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. suit — in cards
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. mark — a trace
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. ball — a dance
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. chair — a leader
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. tear — to rip
  18. suit — to fit
  19. tear — from crying
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. deal — to handle
  23. shower — to wash
  24. mark — to pay attention

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