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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. tube — a container
  4. fall — to drop
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. fall — the season
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tear — to rip
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. saw — the tool
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. tear — from crying
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fall — to drop
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. saw — the tool

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