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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. tear — to rip
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. row — a line
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. row — to paddle
  10. mug — a face
  11. tear — from crying
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. degree — from a university
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mug — to rob
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. degree — temperature
  24. degree — an amount

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