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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. rash — hasty
  3. suit — in cards
  4. tear — from crying
  5. capital — money
  6. rash — a series
  7. suit — clothes
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stand — to bear
  10. press — newspapers
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. tear — to rip
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. suit — to fit
  16. capital — a city
  17. press — to push
  18. bank — of a river
  19. bank — for money
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. bank — for money
  22. press — a publisher
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. capital — a big letter

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