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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 120 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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. clip — for paper
  6. rule — government
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. rock — music
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rule — a law
  15. clip — to cut
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. clip — a video
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bore — to tire
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rock — a stone
  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