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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · saw · mouse · hand · racket · tear · suit · mark

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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. saw — the tool
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. firm — a company
  6. suit — to fit
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mark — a grade
  9. saw — the tool
  10. hand — in cards
  11. tear — to rip
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mark — a trace
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. firm — decided
  19. tear — from crying
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. suit — in cards
  23. firm — steady
  24. hand — help

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