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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fine — high quality
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. tear — from crying
  10. mug — a cup
  11. chair — a leader
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. fine — all right
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mug — a face
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. tear — to rip

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