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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. row — to paddle
  3. lie — to recline
  4. branch — a division
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. drill — the tool
  8. tear — from crying
  9. club — a group
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. club — for dancing
  13. row — a line
  14. club — for golf
  15. snap — to click
  16. tear — to rip
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. tear — from crying
  23. drill — army training
  24. rule — government

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