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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tube — a container
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. current — happening now
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. deal — to handle
  15. current — of water
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. tear — to rip
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. current — electric

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