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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — for golf
  7. drill — the tool
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tear — to rip
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rush — hurry
  12. club — a group
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. drill — a practice
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mine — for digging
  21. drill — army training
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. mine — an explosive

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