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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. tear — to rip
  3. deal — to handle
  4. staff — a stick
  5. object — a thing
  6. staff — employees
  7. branch — a division
  8. bank — of a river
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bank — for money
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. object — to protest
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mine — for digging
  15. saw — the tool
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bank — for money
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. staff — employees
  22. tear — from crying
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. object — an aim

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