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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bank — for money
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. tear — from crying
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. wound — an injury
  10. hand — help
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bear — the animal
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. mug — to rob
  16. hand — in cards
  17. wound — an injury
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bank — for money
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. tear — to rip
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. mug — a cup

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