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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. tear — from crying
  6. key — for a lock
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. key — in music
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bore — to drill
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. snap — to click
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. tear — to rip
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rush — hurry
  24. key — the most important part

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