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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. rash — a series
  3. drill — army training
  4. pop — soda
  5. key — in music
  6. drill — a practice
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pop — to visit
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rash — hasty
  14. pop — music
  15. tear — to rip
  16. perch — the fish
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. key — the most important part
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. drill — the tool

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