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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. dip — to sink
  3. staff — employees
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. current — of water
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. tear — from crying
  9. drill — the tool
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. drill — army training
  13. current — electric
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. current — happening now
  17. rock — a stone
  18. drill — a practice
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rock — music

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