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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. suit — in cards
  3. drill — army training
  4. tear — from crying
  5. band — a ring
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. suit — to fit
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rest — what's left
  12. band — a music group
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. drill — the tool
  16. tear — to rip
  17. drill — a practice
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. suit — clothes
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. dip — to sink

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