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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.

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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. cell — in biology
  3. board — to get on
  4. bore — to tire
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. track — a path
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. cell — a phone
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bore — to drill
  11. track — to keep track
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. tear — from crying
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. track — a song
  17. tear — from crying
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. board — a committee
  21. content — happy
  22. content — the amount
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. cell — in a prison

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