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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wake — a trail
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. suit — in cards
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. mark — a trace
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. tear — from crying
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. tear — to rip
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pass — a permit
  18. band — a ring
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. suit — to fit
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wake — before a funeral

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