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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tear — from crying
  3. lie — to recline
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — soda
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pop — music
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tear — from crying
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. cue — a hint
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. firm — a company

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