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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: fine · sharp · degree · tear · bore · chair · object · rock

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rock — music
  5. degree — from a university
  6. object — to protest
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. sharp — clever
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. fine — high quality
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bore — to tire
  13. degree — temperature
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. tear — from crying
  16. degree — an amount
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. chair — a leader
  20. object — a thing
  21. bore — to drill
  22. object — an aim
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fine — all right

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