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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. tear — to rip
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rule — government
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. scale — in music
  10. object — a thing
  11. row — to paddle
  12. tear — from crying
  13. object — to protest
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. object — an aim
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. tear — from crying
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. scale — size or range
  23. row — a line
  24. rule — a law

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