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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bore — to drill
  4. clip — a video
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. clip — for paper
  8. mate — a friend
  9. club — a group
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bore — to tire
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tear — from crying
  18. club — for dancing
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mate — to breed
  21. tear — from crying
  22. club — for golf
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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