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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. tear — from crying
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. tear — from crying
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. rule — a law
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. tear — to rip
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. suit — clothes
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — thin
  21. rule — government
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. rock — music

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