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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. mug — to rob
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ground — the earth
  5. tear — from crying
  6. mug — a cup
  7. land — ground
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. drill — the tool
  11. fine — all right
  12. drill — army training
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. drill — a practice
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. tear — from crying
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. land — a country
  20. fine — high quality
  21. land — to come down
  22. ground — a position
  23. mug — a face
  24. safe — out of danger

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