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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. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. root — the cause
  8. tear — from crying
  9. root — of a plant
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. lie — to recline
  17. root — of a word
  18. fine — high quality
  19. branch — a division
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. tear — to rip

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