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

Word bank: stand · tear · deal · swing · shower · leaves · cue · can

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. can — to be able to
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. cue — a signal
  7. tear — from crying
  8. can — a tin
  9. tear — to rip
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cue — for pool
  15. tear — from crying
  16. stand — to bear
  17. shower — to wash
  18. shower — rain
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — music
  21. cue — a hint
  22. can — a tin
  23. deal — to handle
  24. swing — in golf

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