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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. shower — rain
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. clip — to cut
  7. clip — for paper
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. plane — a tool
  15. clip — a video
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — to rip
  19. bulb — for light
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. shower — to wash
  24. hide — animal skin

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