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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 would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. ground — the earth
  3. toast — bread
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ground — a position
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. tear — from crying
  12. ground — crushed
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. chip — for betting
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. tear — to rip
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bank — for money

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