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

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. tear — from crying
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bank — of a river
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bank — for money
  7. squash — to crush
  8. shower — rain
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fine — all right
  12. shower — to wash
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. tear — to rip
  15. bank — for money
  16. staff — employees
  17. tear — from crying
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. branch — a division
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. staff — employees
  24. fine — a penalty

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