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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.

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: current · drill · date · tear · mouse · pass · foot · dip

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. foot — a measure
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. current — happening now
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. current — of water
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pass — a permit
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. current — electric
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. drill — army training
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. date — the fruit
  21. drill — a practice
  22. dip — to sink
  23. drill — the tool
  24. date — on the calendar

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