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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. row — a line
  3. bore — to drill
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. row — to paddle
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wound — an injury
  8. tear — from crying
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. tear — from crying
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wound — an injury
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — a trail
  20. tear — to rip
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bore — to tire
  24. racket — for tennis

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