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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. court — of a king
  4. march — the month
  5. face — part of the head
  6. court — of law
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. face — to point toward
  12. court — for sport
  13. tear — from crying
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bank — for money
  16. tear — to rip
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. bank — for money
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. face — to confront

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