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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. can — a tin
  3. kid — to tease
  4. can — to be able to
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bore — to drill
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bore — to tire
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. tear — from crying
  18. staff — employees
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. kid — child
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. can — a tin

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