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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.

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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bank — for money
  4. tear — from crying
  5. toast — bread
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — to rip
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bank — of a river
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mark — a trace
  15. lean — thin
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bank — for money
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. prune — to trim
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mark — a grade

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