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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. date — the fruit
  3. object — to protest
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. object — a thing
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. object — an aim
  13. bore — to drill
  14. tear — from crying
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. tear — from crying
  24. hide — to keep secret

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