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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mine — for digging
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bore — to tire
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rule — a law
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rule — government
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. tear — to rip
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to drill
  20. chip — for betting
  21. suit — clothes
  22. tear — from crying
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. rule — to rule out

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