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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  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 — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bore — to drill
  12. rule — government
  13. bore — to tire
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. branch — a division
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. tear — from crying
  18. cue — a hint
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rule — a law
  23. cue — a signal
  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