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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. firm — steady
  5. bank — of a river
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bank — for money
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tear — from crying
  10. content — happy
  11. tear — to rip
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bank — for money
  14. content — the amount
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — a company
  18. nail — for a hammer

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