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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 116 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. tear — to rip
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. track — to keep track
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. bank — of a river
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. squash — to crush
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lean — to bend
  15. wound — an injury
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lean — thin
  24. squash — the sport

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