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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: bat · toast · tear · pass · can · deal · swing · cue

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. tear — from crying
  4. deal — to handle
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bat — the animal
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cue — a signal
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. swing — music
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. cue — for pool
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. cue — a hint
  18. can — a tin
  19. toast — bread
  20. swing — in golf
  21. can — a tin
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. can — to be able to

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