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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bank — for money
  5. tear — to rip
  6. toast — bread
  7. tear — from crying
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. ball — a great time
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. press — to push
  13. object — an aim
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. press — a publisher
  16. ball — a dance
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. press — newspapers
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. object — to protest
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. object — a thing

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