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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 120 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. vault — a safe
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bank — for money
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. shower — to wash
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. shower — rain
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bank — of a river
  16. tear — from crying
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bank — for money
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. mine — an explosive

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