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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. suit — clothes
  3. tear — to rip
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bank — of a river
  6. row — a line
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. foot — a measure
  9. file — a document
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. row — to paddle
  12. file — a line of people
  13. bank — for money
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bank — for money
  18. suit — to fit
  19. tear — from crying
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. file — a tool

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