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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bore — to tire
  3. cold — an illness
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. object — a thing
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. object — to protest
  11. stock — goods
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stock — shares
  16. bore — to drill
  17. object — an aim
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. tear — to rip
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. cold — not warm
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. stand — for spectators

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