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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. pop — music
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bank — for money
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pop — soda
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. pop — to visit
  24. tear — from crying

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