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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 116 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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. bound — tied together
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bound — certain
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. suit — to fit
  8. last — to go on
  9. drill — army training
  10. bound — obliged
  11. tear — from crying
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. file — a document
  14. suit — clothes
  15. drill — a practice
  16. file — a line of people
  17. last — final
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. last — finally
  20. kick — in football
  21. suit — in cards
  22. file — a tool
  23. tear — from crying
  24. plane — a tool

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