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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. tear — from crying
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rash — hasty
  5. stock — shares
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. tear — to rip
  8. rash — a series
  9. tear — from crying
  10. drill — army training
  11. kick — in football
  12. drill — the tool
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — there
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. drill — a practice
  20. stock — goods
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. present — a gift
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

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