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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. tear — from crying
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. kick — in football
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. drill — army training
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. mark — a grade
  14. toast — bread
  15. bat — the animal
  16. drill — a practice
  17. mark — a trace
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. tear — from crying
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. tear — to rip

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