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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. track — a path
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. rock — a stone
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. drill — a practice
  7. tear — to rip
  8. track — a song
  9. row — to paddle
  10. track — to keep track
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. drill — army training
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. row — a line
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pitch — completely
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rock — music
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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