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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. tear — to rip
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. tear — from crying
  5. face — part of the head
  6. dip — to sink
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mate — a partner
  9. swing — in golf
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mark — a grade
  12. swing — music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mate — to breed
  17. tear — from crying
  18. swing — to play on
  19. face — to confront
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mate — a friend
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mark — a trace

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