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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — to rip
  4. cap — of ice
  5. tear — from crying
  6. firm — a company
  7. last — final
  8. firm — decided
  9. board — a committee
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. cap — a lid
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bank — for money
  17. firm — steady
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. last — finally
  23. last — to go on
  24. cap — a hat

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