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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 116 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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bank — of a river
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fall — to drop
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. tear — from crying
  8. tear — from crying
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fall — the season
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. root — of a word
  16. dip — to sink
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — a permit
  20. root — the cause
  21. root — of a plant
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fall — to drop

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