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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. tear — to rip
  3. race — humankind
  4. fine — high quality
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bank — for money
  7. lean — to bend
  8. bank — of a river
  9. race — a contest
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. lean — thin
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fine — all right
  16. bank — for money
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. tear — from crying
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a city
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. race — the arms race

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