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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bound — certain
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fork — in a road
  6. tear — from crying
  7. degree — from a university
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. degree — an amount
  12. cue — a hint
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bound — obliged
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. degree — temperature
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bound — tied together
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. tear — to rip

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