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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. tube — the underground
  3. foot — a measure
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bore — to drill
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bound — tied together
  11. last — to go on
  12. bound — obliged
  13. last — final
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to tire
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. tube — a container
  21. last — finally
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. tear — to rip

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