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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bulb — for light
  5. tear — to rip
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. can — to be able to
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. band — a music group
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bank — for money
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bank — for money
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. tear — from crying
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bark — to shout
  20. track — a path
  21. bank — of a river
  22. band — a ring
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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