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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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468
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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fall — the season
  5. snap — to click
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. tear — to rip
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. tear — from crying
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. drill — army training
  16. tear — from crying
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. fall — to drop
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. drill — the tool
  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