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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bound — tied together
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mug — a cup
  14. tear — from crying
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mug — to rob
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bound — certain
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bore — to tire

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