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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. file — a tool
  4. file — a line of people
  5. shower — to wash
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bore — to drill
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. tear — to rip
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bore — to tire
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. hand — in cards
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. saw — the tool
  18. hand — help
  19. tear — from crying
  20. file — a document
  21. bulb — for light
  22. shower — rain
  23. bulb — for light
  24. tear — from crying

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