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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. tear — to rip
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. tear — from crying
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. drill — a practice
  11. chest — a box
  12. chest — of your body
  13. tear — from crying
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. drill — the tool
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. fine — high quality
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bulb — for light
  24. fine — all right

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