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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.

Make a worksheet

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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. drill — the tool
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. sharp — clever
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. tear — from crying
  9. swing — in golf
  10. drill — army training
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. drill — a practice
  17. tear — from crying
  18. sharp — with an edge

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