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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fine — all right
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mark — a grade
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. tear — from crying
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a trace
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fine — high quality
  19. tear — from crying
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rash — a series
  24. mouse — the animal

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