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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. tear — from crying
  3. sharp — clever
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. march — music
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. tear — from crying
  14. lie — to recline
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. march — the month
  23. rush — hurry
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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