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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · dip · present · drill · hide · tear · ruler · content

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. tear — from crying
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. drill — the tool
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — happy
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. dip — to sink
  12. present — the time now
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. tear — from crying
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. drill — army training
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tear — to rip
  21. drill — a practice
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. content — the amount

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