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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  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. tear — to rip
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mate — a friend
  4. content — the amount
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mug — a face
  7. last — to go on
  8. last — final
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. last — finally
  12. deal — to handle
  13. tear — from crying
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mate — a partner
  19. wax — to grow
  20. tear — from crying
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. content — happy
  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