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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. spring — a coil
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bark — to shout
  7. spring — of water
  8. track — a song
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. tear — from crying
  13. track — to keep track
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. spring — the season
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. club — for dancing
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for golf
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. track — a path

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