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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 124 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  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. tear — to rip
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. spell — letters
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. fine — high quality
  8. drill — army training
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. drill — a practice
  13. spell — magic
  14. fall — the season
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. fine — all right
  17. drill — the tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. spell — a short time
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fall — to drop
  23. tear — from crying
  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