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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. tear — from crying
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bank — for money
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bank — of a river
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. tear — from crying
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. bank — for money
  18. mine — for digging

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