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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tear — from crying
  3. row — to paddle
  4. rule — government
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. drill — the tool
  7. row — a line
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. dip — to sink
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. scale — in music
  15. rule — a law
  16. plane — a tool
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. tear — from crying
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. scale — size or range
  24. rule — to rule out

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