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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bank — for money
  4. object — to protest
  5. face — to point toward
  6. ball — a dance
  7. roll — a list
  8. object — a thing
  9. ball — a great time
  10. stock — shares
  11. bass — the fish
  12. object — an aim
  13. roll — a cake
  14. face — part of the head
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bank — of a river
  18. face — to confront
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — low music
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bank — for money
  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