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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. tear — from crying
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. race — the arms race
  6. drill — the tool
  7. court — for sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. court — of law
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. tear — from crying
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. drill — a practice
  16. race — a contest
  17. dip — to sink
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. court — of a king
  20. race — humankind
  21. fine — all right
  22. drill — army training
  23. fine — high quality
  24. dip — to dunk

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