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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bore — to drill
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. root — of a plant
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fall — the season
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cue — a signal
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. bore — to tire
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mate — a partner
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cue — for pool
  20. root — the cause
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. march — music
  24. root — of a word

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