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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. tear — from crying
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bore — to drill
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. firm — steady
  8. tear — from crying
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. tear — to rip
  17. rule — a law
  18. firm — decided
  19. rule — government
  20. firm — a company
  21. dip — to sink
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rush — hurry

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