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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. land — a country
  3. track — to keep track
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bore — to drill
  6. land — to come down
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bore — to tire
  9. tear — to rip
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. tear — from crying
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. swing — music
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. track — a path
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. track — a song
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. land — ground
  24. swing — to play on

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