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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 124 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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  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. file — a tool
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. staff — employees
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. band — a music group
  9. cue — for pool
  10. staff — employees
  11. cue — a hint
  12. staff — a stick
  13. vault — a safe
  14. band — a ring
  15. tear — from crying
  16. file — a document
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cue — a signal
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. file — a line of people
  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