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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. race — humankind
  6. cue — for pool
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fine — all right
  9. mug — a cup
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. cue — a signal
  12. can — to be able to
  13. fine — high quality
  14. race — a contest
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. can — a tin
  18. sharp — clever
  19. can — a tin
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. mug — a face
  22. tear — to rip
  23. mug — to rob
  24. race — the arms race

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