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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — soda
  4. bank — of a river
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bank — for money
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. suit — clothes
  9. tear — from crying
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. tear — from crying
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. clip — for paper
  14. perch — the fish
  15. tear — to rip
  16. clip — to cut
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. clip — a video
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pop — music
  22. bank — for money
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fall — the season

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