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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 112 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — certain
  7. kid — child
  8. kid — to tease
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cue — for pool
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mine — for digging
  19. deal — to handle
  20. tear — from crying
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mouse — the animal

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