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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bore — to drill
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. wound — an injury
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — a safe
  14. snap — to click
  15. bore — to tire
  16. cap — a hat
  17. tear — from crying
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. wound — an injury
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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